The year is 280 087 ALSD, and the Republic of Electra is once again at war. The Spheran Coalition, led by the dreaded Warlord known as the Dragon of Sphere, has already breached the planetary defenses and landed troops on Republic soil. Deep in the Crystal Mountains, the major mining city of Velguara has just days ago fallen to the Spheran forces, and countless other settlements in the surrounding region have been all but over-run.

The Electran Republic has been hard-pressed to react effectively to the aggressive Spheran incursion. It has been less than fifty years since the violent rebellion started by the extremist Strasveck political faction. Although the bloody rebellion was eventually put down by the Electran military hero, Gol Draam, it left the nation's military in a state of depletion and disarray. To make matters worse, political controversy still swirls through the Senate as the planet's leaders fight to regain the people's trust. Because of this political climate, the Senate has been reluctant to instigate a military draft, but it may not be long before they have no choice.

Still, all is not yet lost for the Republic. The first wave of young new soldiers and officers, put into training at the end of the Strasveck Rebellion, has been called to arms to join the planet's fight for freedom. The streets of Electra's cities are alive as never before, as parents hide their tears, last-minute goodbyes are said, and people drape flags from their windows, cheering on these fresh soldiers of the Republic before they march to join the veteran warriors already in position at the front-line. The fate and the future of the Republic may very well be resting on the shoulders of these brave young men and women.

*You* are one of these (more-or-less) talented young officers, and you have just been placed in command of your own small platoon of soldiers. This is your big chance to save the Republic, make a name for yourself, and perhaps become a legendary part of Spherus history.

The Army of the Republic has three main divisions. You will have to choose to which of these divisions you belong, as this choice will affect not only the nature of the troops under your command, but also your overall position in the Electran military and the officers who rank below and above you.

Conventional Army

The conventional army makes up the vast majority of the Electran infantry. Their ranks come from every walk of life of the Electran populace, and their training is standardized and routine. Members of the conventional forces, particularly officers, are extremely likely to be Electran in race. Ranking officers tend to be evenly split between Electran aristocrats enrolled in Command College since day one, and those who have slowly worked their way up through the ranks, distinguishing themselves through both talent and hard work. The leader of the Conventional Army is Grand Marshall Vonderveck.

Special Forces

The Special Forces are the elite shock troops of the Electran Republic. They are extensively trained in exclusive military colleges, and are often used for covert commando operations and strategic warfare. Because of both their use in these black-ops and the fact that their official color is a bright crimson, they are sometimes referred to as 'Red-Cloaks.' Membership in the Special Forces is traditionally considered extremely prestigious among Electra's higher social circles. In fact, it used to be that the members of the Special Forces would hail exclusively from the Electran aristocracy, but recently, it has been whispered that this is beginning to change. Nevertheless, due in no small part to this traditional aristocratic upbringing, these elite soldiers are almost as renowned for their arrogance as they are for their expertise. The Special Forces are led by Commander Kilant.

Auxilliaries

The Auxiliary forces are often viewed with no small amount of disdain by the conventional army and Electran populace at large. They are not so much a division unto themselves as they are a motley crew of mercenary soldiers under the employ of the Republic. However, they often possess various skills not commonly available to standard Electran troops, and thus why the Republic Military continues to make use of them. The members of these forces range from untrustworthy scoundrels with nowhere else to go to hardened veterans of countless intergalactic conflicts, and it is sometimes said that both the best and the worst of the Electran military are found amongst the Auxiliaries. One thing that the Auxiliaries all have in common is that they are almost guaranteed NOT to be Electran. Though their chain of command is not as rigid as the other Electran divisions, the generally acknowledged commander of the Auxiliaries is a man called Genghis Khan.

Facts to note about this campaign.

This is the first ever non-"modern" Spherus campaign. As such, you may want to keep the following facts in mind.

1. There are no Zelzakians at this time in history. Their race will not be created for several hundred millenia.

2. There are no Warchons at this time either! Though it's not long at all until they do come along.

3. There is no Universal Language! Generally, most planets have developed a common planet-wide dialect, with the main exception of Dortal, but if you want to speak any language other than your own, you will have to use Non-Weapon Skills for it. Non-Electrans MUST spend a point at first level to learn Electran.

4. The Fenixa Wars have not yet occurred. You might not have been aware that they ever did occur. But they do. Just not yet.

5. S.A.R.C.A.N. has not yet been founded. I just thought you should know.

6. Lorac and Loric have not yet formed the Consulate - they are still independent planets, and in fact they remain so for another half-million years (until the Electrans try to conquer them).

7. Many "modern" weapons and firearms will not be available. The list of their ancient equivalents will be made released soon.

8. And just in case the write-up above did not make it obvious: there is no Electran Empire yet either...