World War SR4, How could it happen? And more. Options

[mfb]

Metropole is one of SR's best-kept secrets, unfortunately. it's supposed to be one of the world's biggest cities, in SR... but nobody's ever heard of it. i'd heard there was supposed to be a section on it in SoLA, but, well.

[PBTHHHHT]

It's a myth like that lost city of gold. or the lost city of Drop Bears (which isn't actually a myth, but it's more of a staging base for Drop Bear world conquest, oops, I've said too much. ulp!)

[ShadowDragon8685]

How do you get a World War started?

Simple.


Aztech or Fuhrer Lofwyr decides that those Ares sons-of-a-bitches are cutting into the arms and equipment industry too much, and bribes/begs/calls favors/mind-controls the Corporate Court into calling an Omega on Ares. Normally, this would be the end of it, however with the CAS and UCAS both getting the majority of their arms from Ares, and aware that if Ares goes down, they become beholden to the German Dragon or MexiCrackLand, decide to publicly say that they will not allow any actions against Ares Macrotech within their borders. The rest of the corps ignore this, but pollitical machinations that have been hidden come to front, and the UCAS and CAS re-unify, riding a wave of high public approval generated through whatever means the DM deems fit. The U.S.A. is back on the scene and pissed at what they see as an invasion. National soldiers are dispatched to help Ares Firewatch defend their emplacements within the continental United States. Meanwhile, the NAN, Aztlan, and Carribean Leauge just took a major "Woah, what the fuck?! They're all prime targets for further conflict if this Neo-United States of America movement continues. However, the Carribean Leauge, smelling a chance at power and glory, actually join the new Union, thus becoming a cluster-fuck. England welcomes the U.S. back onto the scene, and likewise orders other corporations to cease activities against Ares Macrotech upon British soil. This of course is ignored. Back in the West, Tir Tairngire, finding themselves resource-strapped, have an offer extended to them; join the new Union. The elves refuse, but when the NAN march over them on their way to attack the U.S., they quickly realize that strength in numbers is the only thing that's going to save them here. Aztechnology finds itself in the unenviable position of having only the NAN, which never much liked them, as the only thing resembling an ally on the American continents, and since they're not actually any damn good at fighting a real land war, only gassing rebels, find themselves quickly getting smashed back into the homelands by an emerging superpower.

*gasp*


In England, things aren't going so well. S-K has more main combat training that Aztland, and Lofwyr got pissy. He got the Corporate Court to issue an Omega Order on the sovreign Nation of England... Aaand that was the last straw.

Every sovreign, non-Megacorp nation, just realized that if they let that stand, they'll never mean a damn thing again. The English Isle comes under a massive attack, and is swiftly reinforced by the military of every nation in range and with units to spare. Zurich Orbital is shot out of the sky by a massive wave of nukes from the American continent, and the corporate court with it. The shit is on as the the militant Megacorps and their pet nations get embroiled in a conflict with the remaining Nations that still have enough steam left to put up a fight.


Okay, maybe not SR canon, or even SR canon-likely, but I've always thought that the whole "Megacorporate Superpower" idea coulden't last very long in coexistance with real National powers.

[bigdrewp]

Yeah, not very Shadowrunny, but I miss the U.S.A. so I like it.

[stevebugge]

I've come up with one other scenario, not quite as detailed so if anyone wants to run with it and post details that would be cool.

Basically the rules of civil conduct between the Great Dragons, strained after the contest called by Ghostwalker in Survival of the fittest continue fraying as Hestaby and some of the more pro-Metahumanity reformist Greats continue to butt heads with Great Dragon Traditionalists like Aden, Ryumyo, and Lung. Others not so stridently on one side or the other pick sides based on convenience, traditional rivalries, and individual machinations. Enough of the rules survive initially however that the various Dragons begin their conflict through proxies, Organized Crime Syndicates, Corporations, and puppet states. Ultimately the whole system breaks down and there is open fighting among the Dragons and their organizations on a global scale, and other entities like the Tirs and the few unattached Megas are drawn in to try to protect their own interests.

[mfb]

and then the French are like "fire ze missiles!", and the missile guys are all "but i am le tired," and France says "okay, then take a nap. THEN FIRE ZE MISSILES!"

and meanwhile, some asteroid is like "whoah, fuck that."

[Teulisch]

heres the trick- the people running both the megacorps and the courts are smart enough not to start a war they will lose. the dragons will not start a war, as it means they hurt themselves.

What we minght see, is some idiots getting ahold of a nuclear lauch code. a technomancer with sprites, hacking missle silos.... thats scary isnt it? 1950's era technology versus the most advanced tech known to man... and if one side launches, everyone starts screaming about it... and launching a counterstrike. WWIII, global thermonuclear war.

and why would they do this? the bugs LIKE the nukes. and the roach shamens can make good mr johnsons, when it comes to hiring idiots to end the world. heck, maybe the horrors like the nukes too, if they exist anymore.

so we get a huge mess. a plauge of new ghouls, radioactive wastelands, a new food riot among the survivors... and a world where shadowrunners are the best last hope for the survival of mankind. (okay, maybe not that last over-the-top bit).

the only other way to start a global war, is to use a new technology that would destroy everyone. I forget what novel had this, but there was a secret tech that allowed remote spying on all computer traffic. it would make all computer files 'public' to anyone who had the device. something like that.

[Kyoto Kid]

[Grinder]

Or Deadlands: Hell On Earth.

[Toptomcat]

[ShadowDragon8685]

[Nidhogg]

[ShadowDragon8685]

[boskop-albatros]

I'm Back......(Yes it's been awhile)

These are all good ideas but I've had some of my own running around my head for awhile now

1: North American Reunion: The prievious senario about a UCAS/CAS Reunion was basicly the way in would happen if it started in the East but there is also the the possiblity it could start in the west (AND if it was the rightkind of revolution at least a GOOD persentage of the NAN would go along with it)-adding in the Caribbean League would make things very interesting
Basicly if a: TRANSRACIAL/TRANSMETA-USAONIAN,USAESE,FREDE-FREEDONIAN,UNINIAN,CONCORDIAN,REMEMBERANCER,-LIBRATARIANITE-MILITIA-ITE MOVEMENT WOULD START IN ANY OF THE WILDLANDS OF NORTHAMERICA (or better most or all of them) They probably could reunite north america at this point

This could start if any of the Politicaly Indepentant Militias got pushed into the NAN and HAD TO cut a Deal with the STC BECAUSE THEY FOUGHT FOR THE INDIANS RIGHT BEFORE THE CONSTITUTION-SO NOW THE PRESENT UCAS GUM'MENT IS ILLIEGAL

These guys could start anywhere on the continent-it would involve somefaction in NAN allying with them-figuring that the only way they-the Indians (Or First Americans if you perfer) can get more is by cutting a deal with the most radical outcasts of the Old American Society (Caucasian or Black) and Any and ALL Cultually Mixed Racial Groups of the Old American Society North Of Mexico And probably Anti-Aztlaner True Mexicans Too; Also Question Are their any Metis Left?-I always hated the hatchet job they got in Native American Nations Vol 2, And hell-What about Mestee Tri-Racial Southerners and the Ramapoughs of New Jersy Too
The other radicals would be Religous radicals of the Amero-Revisonal Christian kind-Branch Davidian Seventh Day Adventists, ILDS (Big Love Non-Pervert Polygamists), Old-Style Armstrongian World Wide Church of God, and of Course The Church of Jesus Christ Universal and Triumphant (I hope They Cut a deal with the NAN for their Montana Bunkers)
After them World Come the OLD-NEW LEFT HIPPY (PINKSKIN) MILITA, Then Afro American Groups Like The Newabian/Yamasse Nation, Black Muslims And Radical Bloods/Crips-Can't forget Biker Gangs,Radical MetalHeads/RivitHeads/Punkrockers And Militant Pagans


The best spots out west would be somewhere in the north central canadian backcounty (A-M and Atha), plataue Country( S-S) and Pueblo/Aztlan Border; Liberate Apacheria!-Link this with the CAS and a Texas Liberation and the Azzies with have a Tough Time

Ok done, I will return
:rotate: :twirl: :wobble: :talker: :spin: :sleepy: :love: :lick:

[Muskie]

I don't know about a World war, But I do know that Hestaby (and her loyal army of Technomancers) could destroy the planet in about 12 seconds.

[Rotbart van Dain...]

[Witness]