Forum:Global and regional issues/Great War

Forums → Global and regional issues → Global and regional issues/Great War

I decided to compile some thoughts from the past wiki (detailed in an archived thread here) and various discussions on the unofficial OGFC discord. The aim is not coming together for a "decisive" world war (which is impossible given how spread out OGF activity generally is), but at least some consensus of how it can play out and line out the potential parties involved.--Zhenkang (talk) 04:43, 23 March 2023 (UTC)

These are the five assumptions (by Zekiel) I believe are already commonly assumed regarding the Great War.

1. The name of the war is the Great War.
2. There was only one war of such nature.
3. The war happened between 1930 and 1950 (cannot be past or within X years of 1960, since the Pax Nova games, which are now canon, defined that they were held in celebration of the war's end).
4. The singlular war lasted a significant amount of time (10+ years).
5. The war took place as a collection of different theatres rather than a coordinated "Allies vs Axis"-style single or dual theatre grand-battle war.

Further thoughts:

• I thought that more likely there would be a series of proxy wars at major flashpoints around the world (including Mecyna and the Lycene Region). Proxy wars can be via civil wars in former colonies or just wars between countries. Conventional war can be through regional expansionism as well.

• It is quite likely the conflicts may have come about due to a rise of nationalism as a possible result of an emerging leftist movement, whether communist, socialist or any other form, leading to a series of independence wars. The general theme could be the end of the old colonial order and the rise of new emerging powers, like Suria and the Federal States.

• The war can be in two main phases. The first can be the wave of rebellions by colonies (independence wars), after which the colonial powers were humiliated. In the second, the colonial powers have to tackle the leftist threat and try to influence its former colonies in a series of proxy wars (like civil wars and regional wars). This war can be longer in the 30s and 50s, though of course the timeline can vary by region.

• There probably isn't even a clear-cut group of belligerents, and nations/parties can be on different sides depending on the nature of the conflict. (e.g. see supporting groups of the Nigerian Civil War)

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I think it's important to include Alessa's thoughts/points from the time that detailed more clearly what we need to be thinking about here:

"To everyone, regarding the Great War idea:

• There are a ton of factors that need to be considered for any Great War that we have on OGF. First, in the 1940s (lead-up to the war), we have a ton of different countries in a ton of areas that would be developed enough to engaged in a global war but really separated by distances that are not easily overcome by 1940s technology. It cannot be that a simple conflict between two countries in Uletha started it, or it wouldn't logically involve a random country in Antarephia… why would they want to send troops (even to an "ally") *that far away*? Another point to consider is that allies are usually countries of common goals and within reach of the other to be of assistance *defensively*. Alliances are a big deal, but allies are rarely obligated in their treaties to help an aggressor.
• What works a lot better is to consider how these larger-scale wars typically evolved in human history. One of the major ways that wars evolved were that a lot of smaller conflicts took place concurrently, and with similar goals or means, leading to a huge inter-tangling of conflicts that created a broader mess. As humans, we like to compartmentalize into what effected us immensely, but historians acknowledge the continuum and the fact that nothing happens in a vacuum. For a "great war" to work, there need to be a ton of tinderboxes that all get lit at the same time, creating a run on resources, inflaming existing strife. Religion, ideology, etc. can all be a factor, but they aren't the definitive. There are plenty of times where countries aligned with another of different religion or ideology in a war." -Alessa

--Ernestpkirby (talk) 08:17, 23 March 2023 (UTC)

Possible "fronts" (or wars taking place in the 30s to 50s)

(Feel free to include)

• North Archanta:
  • War of Fellow Brothers (Fascist Bai against Kaosha, Grinzez and other smaller countries]
  • Mecynan Canal Crisis (between CCA and FSA)
• Uletha:

Discussion

If you want to add your own country and discuss its potential involvement and role, or just its history between the 30s to 50s, add under the respective continents to keep track.

Archanta

Bai Empire (Fascist Bai)

Bai during this period was under the Fascist regime. Fascist Bai was an aggressor trying to expand into its neighbours, notably Kaosha and neighbouring Kanglapo. It had an alliance with Cinasia.--Zhenkang (talk) 12:11, 23 March 2023 (UTC)

Tarephia

Freedemia

I'll just reiterate here that through various discussions with other Lycene area territories I had planned for some degree of Lycene stability and Freedemia's relative non-involvement. I think I talk about it in the history on the Freedemia wiki page, but notably Freedemia's comparative stability was part of what attracted a lot of migrants and draft-dodgers from other countries around the world impacted more directly, influencing the population boom of the time. --Ernestpkirby (talk) 08:08, 23 March 2023 (UTC)

Uletha

Demirhan Empire/Demirhan Tarephia

It's probably the only of my countries which is large enough to be significant player in the war theatre so let's go. As of now Demirhan Empire doesn't have set history during Great War period but I think it could participate. However I must say there are no countries which are supposed to start invasion on the empire which can be reasonably explained except for Suria where Suria mappers weren't interested in such event. Additionally I don't think the empire could be aggressor itself because in case of that and loosing the war, it would realistically be partitioned into nation states so I guess Great War will remain silent period for the empire.Rustem Pasha (talk) 15:22, 23 March 2023 (UTC)