Iron storm
Prelude
It started during 1914 when old Franz Ferdinand was assassinated by a member of the Black Hand gang. The first major time delay was the battle of the Somme. Hundreds of thousands of lives were lost on that battlefield. Despite the research into a new super weapon for the allies, the tank, their attempts at keeping it secret and secure were thwarted. Germany began the production of cheap counter-weapons such as the panzerschreck. The battle of the Somme lasted until 1922, leading up to surrender of Germany and Germany only.
In the January of 1933 Germany had a pending election and then on the fifteenth of March the nationalists' socialist party emerged victorious, led by Adolf Hitler, a very early war era (VEWE) veteran. From 1933 to 1938, Hitler, now a dictator, have been stockpiling weapons while Italy, Turkey, Bulgaria and Austria continue to fight. In 1939 Hitler re-entered the war as the Republic monarchy of Germany, bringing the war in the early war era (EWE).
On the Allies side Winston Churchill return to power and issued a request to China to assist them. China obliged and cut off the Axis supply routes through the Pacific until December of 1941 when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, declaring war on America fifteen seconds before the first plane took off. The U.S. naval ships were mobilized instantly.
President Roosevelt ordered dummy ships to replace the existing warships. It was a total massacre period old U.S. ships slipped out to twenty minutes before the first droning engine came from the sky. America had just enough time to place the decoys and after the bombers had dropped their payloads the real ships returned and shot the red-tagged planes down like flies.
Japan was shocked, but her naval fleets remained to terminate the Chinese blockade and replace it with one of her own. On the 6th of June 1944 the allies attacked Normandy and world leaders thought the war was coming to a close. They were wrong. The war was going to last for another 70 years at least.
Shortly after Normandy, America began the production of the Atomic Bomb. Production went quickly. On the 6th of August 1945 America dropped the bomb from the Enola Gay on the main naval production means of Japan bringing her to her knees, ready for the sword. On the 12th of September 1946, just as the final sword swipe was in progress Bulgaria knocked Japan down to save her and donated three major carriers and a cruiser marking the end of the EWE.
Shortly after Japan's resurrection the Axis learnt that America was building new bombs. They stole the plans and began to build there own, as well as defensive means. America learnt of this as well and also began producing counter measures to combat Axis atomic weapons. When the Allies and the Axis completed their nuclear defenses (the 27th of May 1954) they distributed it to their allies. Both were equally matched, Nuclear warfare was no longer possible. Both sides would need to continue in a war of attrition.
This brings the war into the Semi-current War Era (SCWE) which took place from 1955 to 2000. In 1955 both sides were exhausted, but neither of them wished to surrender. Even the Americans, the world's previous super power were exhausted. Only Australia, Vietnam, Thailand and Russia were still fit to fight. Vietnam and Thailand joined the Axis while Australia and Russia joined the Allies, all four declaring their allegiance on the 24th of July 1958.
Both Italy and France were outraged at the sudden incursion of new allies. Both of these countries had been fighting for the 44 years since 1914. Both of these countries sunk back into neutrality. Both the Axis and the Allies were outraged at the loss of their friends in combat. The departing soldiers themselves wished to stay in the trenches that were inherited from the VEWE days, yet despite the loss of an ally each, there were advantages beyond boosting numbers that came with the new alliances.
When these countries joined they all brought brand new technologies with them. Australia and Thailand both respectively brought the laser guided bomb while Russia and Vietnam brought their sides the jet powered engine. Before choosing their sides it was rumored that they had a 'Neutral Circle'. These rumors were confirmed. Being that these technologies previously only were traded within this Neutral Circle it was a huge boost to both sides, despite the fact that the technologies were identical.
Trench warfare continued bitterly, both the Axis and the Allies taking terrible losses, yet, neither side made any progress into the enemy's homeland. Shells continued to crash down, however, neither side can be dislodged from their positions. Most soldiers were frustrated with the loss of their friends for no reason. However, the Axis had one final idea for this era. In 1968 German scientists had developed an impenetrable armor. At least impenetrable for what weapons would be produced for the next 50 years. However, there were a few problems, the armor was incredibly heavy.
This meant that only the heaviest duty vehicles were capable of carrying the load. This meant that the effective range (without making it vulnerable equipping it with out-lying fuel tanks) was severely inhibited by the fuel consumption, restricted to approximately 10 Km without a need to refuel. The plan was to drive the tanks across the lines right up to the front where they would be dug in and then act like an anti-tank style weapon. This allowed the German forces to gain a slight advantage, but this was more of a defensive position because the maximum tactical advantage was the range of the main gun once it was dug in, because the armor was so heavy and they couldn't pull them out.
By 1978 the Allies were pushed back to the borders of Normandy. Even though ground forces were un-able to move up, aircraft were still able to attack over head. Germany had run out of the metals required to manufacture the super tank and consequently were left with a staggered defensive line. The Allies had discovered a method of overcoming the 'Super Tanks' by 1980. They reasoned that because of the fact that the armor was so strong it would have to be quite flexible and therefore would resonate greatly if struck hard enough.
The allied bombers simply flew over head and, with the new laser guided bombs, would strike the top of the tank chassis and cause it to resonate at such a frequency that the crews inside would become severely disoriented. At this point in time the Allied ground forces would advance on the tank and, on the proviso that the hatch was locked, push a grenade through the air holes on top. However, if the hatch was unlocked they would simply capture the unarmed soldiers in side.
This tactic allowed the Allies to retake France, Spain, Portugal and The Czech Republic by 1998. In the December of 1999 both the Axis and the Allies were concerned about their unit's electronics. The Y2K was feared to have swept over all RADAR and flight control or detection. However, both sides managed to escape without a scratch.
This brought the war into the Current Era War (CEW). Ever since the beginning of the CEW female soldiers have fought alongside the men and fulfilled all roles, sometimes proving more adept then the men. From 2000 to 2010 both the Axis and the Allies continued to fight, but somewhat breaking out from the trench warfare they previously endured in order for them to attempt to take enemy positions. The Americans were most adapt at urban combat, as were the Vietnamese. Consequently both sides were forced into bitter combat, taking one street, one corner, and one round about at a time. However, the other countries were far from useless.
Britain was incredibly adept at field fighting. Mainly in paddocks or open plains. However, the Thai people were just as capable of fighting back in this environment. The Russians were perfectly suited to fighting in the vast mazes created in the wake of bomb damage, they always knew when to hide, when to attack and when to call for reinforcements or retreat, but, once again, they were counteracted by the Italians. The Australian soldiers were the most capable when defending. These were the men who had turned the Germans tanks back against them, but, sadly the Germans were also highly adept in defense due to their experience during the SCWE.
The result was a constant battle back and forth, the Italians might take a city and continue onwards until they were met by a group of Australians who held them in the fields or city until the British or the Americans arrived who would then charge forward retaking the city only to meet a group of German defenders. The Germans would then hold the attackers in place until the Italians, Thais or Vietnamese soldiers showed up to push them back again.
This continued until 2010 and then they returned to trench warfare. On the 24th of December 2010 all fire stopped until 1st of January 2011. During this week long period the soldiers would surprisingly get quite friendly with each other. Female and Male soldiers from any country had short relationships, knowing all to well it would end soon. At 11:55 PM on the 31st of December 2010 the soldiers returned to their trenches with happy memories, unfortunately not to be repeated for twelve months, if ever.
This tradition has occurred ever since. However, in the time between the soldiers had to learn to hate each other. On the 28th of November 2013 the French and the Bulgarians returned to the war, content with the input of Australia, Thailand, Vietnam and Russia. That brings history up to the current day