FOREWARDIn 1989, the Cold War should have effectively ended with the

collapse of communist regimes worldwide. Three years later the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics would devolve into collapse and cease to exist, officially ending the cold war.

But that never happened. We knew the Cold War couldn't have suchan anticlimactic finale. As tech progressed, tensions mounted, and hostilities grew, we knew it was only a matter of time before the bigone. It was inevitable. The only part we didn't know was "When?"

This setting takes place forty nine years after the Cold War ended with a bang, rather than a whimper. Its purpose is to create a world where the worst fears of the 1980s are realized. From direct hostilities between the Warsaw Pact and NATO to callous Megacorporations. From humanity destroying cybernetic implants to a poverty rate that would make most of Africa blush. From the Japanese Empire to the shattered America.

Elaborating and extending the timeline of GDW's Twilight 2000 roleplaying game, Twilight 2050 seeks to create a futuristic yet bleak dystopian world. Inspired by works such as Neuromancer, Hardwired, and R. Talrosian's Cyberpunk 2020, Twilight 2050 is a workof 1980s inspired cyberpunk to the core.

Now, with all that aside, let's get this rolling. Sit down, plugin, and get ready for the dark future of the 21st century.

ARMAGEDDONThe 20th century was a time of turmoil and instability. The first

half kicked off with two devastating world wars, while the second half was dominated by the superpowers of the USA and USSR, locked in a cold war. While most had hoped the century would end without another major conflict, most knew that this was thinking far too optimistically.

The buildup to the third world war was massive, roughly 45 years. But the war itself came as a complete surprise to the planet. The start of world war 3 draws many parallels to that of the first world war in that sense, where it started faster than anyone could have expected.

Depending on who you ask, world war 3 either started in 1995 when border skirmishes along the Amur river thrust the USSR and Chinain to conflict. Or it started in 1996 when a coup in East Germany prompted West German, and later NATO, intervention. Either way, everyone can agree right down to the day when world war 3 became a conflict never seen before by mankind; a nuclear war.

On July 9th, 1997, the most infamous day in human history, the USSR began using nuclear weapons against NATO forces crossing in to Belarus. The nuclear warfare proceeded to escalate and promptly drop after a short strategic exchange that lasted five days in November. Thankfully the nuclear strikes weren't enough to extinguish humanity. But it was enough to cause a worldwide collapse, as disease and chaos ran rampant through nearly every nation on the planet until the French Peace of 2001.

By the end of the third world war in 2001 with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles the worldwide human population had dropped from 5.8 billion to 3.7 billion, a decrease of roughly 35%.

TWO TRIBESWith the end of the third world war, every major nation on Earth

had been hit by plagues, riots, warfare, and nuclear strikes, except for two. France, which had dropped out of NATO at the beginning of the war, emerged relatively unscathed and with a nice chunk of land after securing the Rhein as a natural border. Japan on the other handhad claimed neutrality in the conflict, which angered America to no end. But with the bear on their doorstep, America's threats of military intervention in Japan fell short.

These two nations, already in a comfortable position pre-war, now found themselves with a devastated planet at their disposal. While even they had felt the wakes of the war, they were far far faster to recover from it. While France's hurdle of the German refugee crisis was handled when it secured the Rheinland, Japan's internal instability came to an end when the JSDF took over.

France's interests shifted to the Middle East to secure the oil reserves that weren't subject to nuclear attack, as well as Africa for its natural resources. Arabia, Maghreb, Mali, Guinea Coast, Senegal, and so many more all remain as French puppet states in 2050.

Japan meanwhile went window shopping through Asia. The Philippines fell in to Japanese territory, the Far Eastern Republic became a puppet state after a short conflict with Siberia, and Hong Kong became a protectorate of the new empire (And one of the most successful cities on earth as of 2050). Despite Korean and Chinese hatred of the new Japanese Empire, it seems they're here to stay.

Much like the USA and USSR of old, both nations seem to be the centerpiece of the planet. French and Japanese corporations are set up world wide, and the nation's influences can be felt from New America to Westphalia to Canton.

WE REMAINAs to be expected, the death toll from the third world war was

staggering. It is and remains the only human conflict with fatalitiescounting in the billions. An estimated 2 billion lives were lost in the conflict out of the 5.8 billion humans that were alive as of 1996. This hit caused great amounts of instability across the planet and as of 2050 is only just recovering with the human population sitting comfortably at 5.5 billion.

The primary killer was not the nuclear strikes, nor was it the conventional warfare. As societies broke down access to basic necessities such as food, shelter, and water did as well. Roughly 35%of all world war 3 related deaths were from exposure, starvation, anddehydration.

The next biggest killer at 34% were the various plagues that ravaged the the globe. Cholera, Typhus, BubonicPlague, and Dysentery all appeared en-mass as hygiene took a backseat to survival.

An interesting consequence of these death tolls is the massive division of the haves and have-nots. Wealth gaps, while arguably rising by the end of the cold war, have been far exaggerated by the

conflict and demographic shifts that came with it. Those that had theinfluence and ability were able to easily survive, sometimes even in relative comfort to those dying of radiation sickness outside.

Among these influential individuals sprung the megacorps that most know in the 21st century. Capitalism has happily survived the apocalypse and came back bigger than ever. The resumption of international trade only helped accelerate the uncontrollable companies which came from the ashes of the mushroom clouds. Those whoweathered the apocalypse the best were rewarded with massive towers of steel and glass while the rest continued to starve on the streets.And with no trust laws being able to be effectively enforced anywhereon the planet, it seems like the megacorps are here to stay.

So, we're still around, and some say we're better than ever. Andsome say we'd be better off if the nukes wiped us out. Most are too apathetic to care.

PROGRESS WAITS FOR NONEJust because the apocalypse happened, doesn't mean we didn't get

shit done. Despite the drastic drop in population, the tech boom of the cold war still kicked in to overdrive. Not only were cybernetic replacement limbs and advanced surgical techniques researched in the early stages of the third world war, but they were later perfected byJapanese and French scientists.

Even the internet survived, albeit highly damaged. But nonetheless, by 2012 the internet was back up and running for the more civilized parts of the planet thanks to Franco-Japanese cooperation. In 2050 the net is a massive sprawling stream of virtualreality, with interface plugs becoming more and more popular every month.

The Melbourne Accords of 2022 transformed Earth's orbit into a hotspot once more. Orbitals stations were constructed, both for luxury living and industry. Earth's deteriorating ecosystem accelerated by the nuclear war made living off-planet very enticing. As of 2050, the Republic of America, The American Union, The New England Alliance, France, Japan, the RSFSR, and South Africa all haveassets in Earth's orbit, in addition to countless megacorps.

Finally, humans of course did not forget our need to slaughter one another. Weapons technology accelerated with the third world war,with Armington LLC. Releasing the prototype ALC-2 Laser Rifle on to the battlefields of Europe for testing in early 1997. As battery technology progressed after the war, Armington, based in The New England Alliance, released the ALC-3 in 2032. It was the first man-portable laser system deemed effective enough to have a limited adoption by a military force.

Lasers weren't the only exotic weapons system world war 3 saw. The West Germans adopted the G11 rifle, which used caseless ammunition. While most countries found this far too expensive at the time, it has gained mass popularity in the 21st century. Cased ammunition is considered a thing of the past.

The newest weapon system invented by man are NeuralInterrupters (Known as Seizure Guns or Spasm Guns in slang terms.Sometimes called Nerve Guns). These weapons that fire a powerful radio pulse at a frequency whichdisrupts the human nervoussystem, specifically the motor control areas of the

brain. Those hit with Neural Interrupters usually break down in to violent seizures or complete unconsciousness. There is no visible signature from these weapons, but they do make a small cracking noisewhen fired. These are currently extremely rare and expensive, the first civilian models having been released in 2049.

Lastly on the all important weaponry front are gauss guns, whichare relatively new and expensive. Gauss weapons were first made viable in the late 2030s, but are generally still in the stage of being too finicky for military use. Gauss weapons typically come in two forms; needlers and guns. Needlers rapidly spit out tiny flechettes, while guns fire larger saboted flechettes.

One issue such advancement in such a short timespan brings is futureshock. The uneasy feeling one gets when the world around them changes faster than they can comprehend. It's often a matter of adaptor die in the 21st century, and the older generations are having more and more trouble adapting every day. Even the younger generations arestarting to feel the pains of futureshock as it seems something new comes out every day.

GETTING CHROMEDThe largest technological advancement of the 21st century was

cyberware. In such a short time since its inception in the beginning of the century cyberware has not only become commonplace, it's becomestylish. In large sprawling cities it's uncommon to find someone who both has not undergone elective surgery at least once and has any amount of money.

Ware has countless applications as one can imagine, and those applications stretch lightyears ahead of the original military uses. Professions, style, medical, combat, etc. The list is nearly endless and it's no doubt that it keeps growing with each new piece of chromethrown on to the street.

One of the most interesting additions to the human body is chipping. Moddies, as they're known, are modular personality chips that can not only change one's personality, but give them certain benefits (or disadvantages if they're so inclined). In addition to moddies, sensory link (or slink if you're in a rush) chips are available to give full-body sensory simulations. For example, a surfing slink chip would give someone the feeling if really being there on the waves, the heat of the sun on them, and the rush of adrenaline whoever is recording the slink is feeling.

In addition to moddies and slinks, there are plain old skill chips (or skips if that's too much for you). Skips are digital recordings of skills that one can easily slot in to their skull to gain instant knowledge of something. While Active skips completely overwrite or give new skills, Reactive skips add to ones already acquired skills.

THE NETThe net is an interconnected virtual reality world wide data

transfer system that evolved from the pre-WW3 ARPANET, among other things. The net itself is divided in to four scales on Earth; the WTG(World Telecommunication Grid), NTGs (National Telecommunication Grids), MTGs (Municipal Telecommunication Grids) and LTLs (Local Telecommunication Links).

To put the scales of the net in perspective, when one first accesses the net, they are greeted by the WTG. This shows a politicalmap of Earth with all nations connected to the WTG highlighted. If one were to then choose the French NTG, they would be transferred to a map of France, showing all the municipalities of said country whichparticipate in the net (Or all the available MTGs). Select the Paris MTG, and you're presented now with a map not representative of the city but rather of its data infrastructure (Each connection in the city known as an LTL). This differs from city to city, but typically an MTG will be laid out in clusters depending on who owns what LTL.

In addition to static LTLs based in MTGs, one can also connect to what are known as roaming LTLs. These are other net users who may or may not be connected to the WTG at any given moment. One's net access code binds them permanently to an LTL. This LTL can receive E-mails, electronic currency transfers, but can even host a VRBBS as long as whatever device the LTL is associated with remains connected to the WTG. The only way to access roaming LTLs is to know the LTL code. Only one connection can be made from a roaming LTL to the WTG at any given time.

TRANSORBITALNo longer are humans bound to the harsh gravity of earth. Since

the Melbourne accords of 2022, Earth's orbit and beyond has been a hotspot for the richest of the rich and the poorest of poor. Hundredsof orbital and lunar structures exist. Most are satellites of comm, spy, or kill varieties.

One of the first and most attractive orbitals, Elysia, is home to around ten thousand of humanity's richest souls. Having begun construction under the auspices of the French Empire, Textor Orbital made a name for theirselves with this impressive structure. The massive O'Neil colony generates a 1.0g gravity field, has a day/nightcycle with mirrors rotating around the habitat to provide sunlight, and is surrounded by enough orbital defenses to shoot down an entire fleet. Tickets to Elysia are extraordinarily expensive, and with passenger trans-orbital craft only going to and fro twice a month it's almost impossible to secure a reservation.

While some of the underclass live on Elysia, most are restrictedto smaller workshacks scattered around Earth's orbit. These are essentially orbital factories that usually manufacture specialty items that require a lack of gravity to produce, though occasionally a workshack will instead manufacture legally dubious items (Ever

wonder how Textor Orbital got the nuclear weapons for the Teller bombs guarding Elysia?). Work in orbit is perhaps the worst work one can get; not only is it isolated, but it's dangerous. Factory deaths manage to be far higher in orbit than planetside. The pay isn't even that much better; but with how the world economy is doing most wouldn't be in much of a position to decline an orbital posting.

Luna has a single corporate-owned colony, the aptly named Luna City. Containing roughly fifty thousand inhabitants, it's by no meansa sprawl like one would see planetside. Though that's not to say it'snot an impressive feat of engineering and construction. The entirety of it resembles a pyramid, which houses a multi-tiered self-containedarcology city. While some areas receive sunlight, other areas rely onday-night cycle lighting. Luna City is also a multicorporate haven, with all the big players having offices in the arcology or the surrounding 'suburbs.'

BIG BUSINESS AND YOUTransnational corporations have

greatly increased both their influence andpower after the third world war. As theplanet collapsed in to nuclear-assistedchaos, corporations moved in to stabilizeresource rich and industrially importantregions of the globe. While no megacorphas ever taken the place of a nationalgovernment, most have amassed enoughwealth and power to become nations untothemselves. Megacorps are the envy of manynations.

Transnats use people like they wouldany other disposable resource. As a lowlevel worker, you don't feel pride workingfor a transnat megacorp, you just hope youremain valuable enough to stay on thepayroll. As an executive, you work foryour own success, which just so happens tocoincide with what is successful for thecompany. In-fighting is the norm, and thechain of command for most megacorps is farbeyond the comprehension of even itshighest level employees.

Transnat megacorps of this era arecallous and ruthless, eldritchabominations that remain the foci ofsociety despite no one reallyunderstanding how they work. Shadowysupernatural beings that pursue goals thatseem to be above the understanding of mere men. They don't care if they're caught. Who's going to stop them? Nations have taken militaryaction against megacorps, and at best have managed to break even. Even the French Empire and Japan are afraid to stand up to the largest transnats (especially since the megacorps are what keep the superpowers on top).

So you're probably asking, if the French can't take down “megacorps, how am I supposed to? The answer is that you aren't. If ”the third world war had one clear winner, it was the transnats. Not even nuclear armageddon could stop capitalism, so a few punks with some chrome and a bad attitude certainly can't. Not even the communist nations can stop corporate influence and operations within their borders.

Thankfully, the transnats don't care about you. They aren't watching you, telling you what to do, or running your dog over with atruck. They have bigger things to do than pretend they're in Orwell's1984. Let the governments govern is the general motto of big businessin the 21st century.

TEN LARGEST MEGACORPS

(In no specific order)

-Hiroku Heavy Industries (Japan)

-Textor Orbital SA (France)

-Matsuoka Power Systems Ltd. (Japan)

-Kayazawa Associates (Japan)

-Trilon International (France)

-SASOL Ltd. (South Africa)

-The Durant Group (France)

-Traylor Security Solutions (RoA)

-ADV Global (South Africa)

-Ultracom LLC. (Korea)

WAR AND PEACEJust because the big one happened doesn't mean that other

conflicts didn't litter the 21st century. From old rivalries to chaos-induced skirmishes, war has been as much of a fact of life as ever.

1995-1997: Sino-Soviet War. Arguably the start of the third world war, border skirmishes along the Amur river led to a preemptiveSoviet invasion of Manchuria. Though neither side ever sued for peace, the conflict effectively ended after the Soviet's massive nuclear campaign against China in late 1997.

1996-2001: World War 3. A coup in the German Democratic Republicprompts a West German invasion. The situation escalates to full scaleconflict between NATO and Pact forces which ends in a limited nuclearexchange.

1997-1998: The Fifth Indo-Pakistani War. Border conflicts erupt in to full scale warfare. Shortly after the third world war went nuclear, the Indo-Pakistani war followed the same path. Though no peace was ever declared, the war effectively ended in 1998 as both India and Pakistan collapsed in to nuclear chaos.

1997-1999: The Great War of Africa. Conflict between Zaire and aBurundi-Uganda-Rwanda alliance erupts in to a continent-wide conflict. It was characterized by guerrilla action and South African use of nuclear weapons againstpro-Soviet military targets.

1997-2020: The SecondChinese Civil War. After China'snuclear annihilation at the handsof the Soviets, the nation splitin to countless separate nations.The warlord states all vied forownership of China, but nonemanaged to ever amass enoughpower to reunite the country. By2020, all of the splinter stateshad entered in to a ceasefire,and the war was de-facto over.

1998: The Quebecois War ofIndependence. Pro-Soviet militaryunits in Quebec declareindependence from Canada. A shortseries of skirmishes erupt beforeOntario decides the fight ispointless and recognizes theindependence of the nation.

1999-2010: The Second American Civil War. For the first time since the nuclear strikes hit American soil, the US congress reconvenes and declares the ruling Joint Chiefs of Staff an illegitimate junta. Around the same time, New America rebel groups

begin appearing in Florida and Idaho. By the end of the war, the United States would be divided along the lines drawn by the third world war.

2002-2006: The Rio Plata War. A pro-Brazil coup in Uruguay prompts Argentine and Peruvian intervention. After years of brutal fighting, Brazil annexes Peru, and occupies large portions of Argentina as a buffer zone.

2003: The Atacama War. Bolivia invades North Chile to secure an ocean border as South America is in chaos. The fighting doesn't last long before Chile decides it has better things to do than defend a desert.

2013-2018: The Malay-Indonesian War. Indonesia invades Malaysia to seize resources. Japanese-mediated peace results in Indonesia annexing Sarawak.

2023-2027: The Californian War of Independence. Unsatisfied withthe military junta, the pro-American Union California declares independence. The RoA is unable to hold on to the territory, which gains independence. This sparks a wave of unrest in the RoA, and the country teeters on collapse.

2025-2027: The Second Rio Plata War. The Inca Republic rises up in Peru, which gains military support from Argentina, Ecuador, Mexico, and several megacorps who wish to cripple Brazil's rising economy. Ends in Hispanic victory with the Inca Republic established between Peru and Ecuador, and Brazilian land ceded to the Hispanic alliance.

2030: The Indochina War. Yunnan invades Vietnam to secure accessto the sea and corporate oil reserves. After initial Yunnanese success, Laos join in the conflict causing a stalemate. A white peaceis signed after corporate pressures demand that the oil reserves remain sovereign to them.

2032: Siberian-Japanese War. Siberia attempts to seize Sakhalin from Japan after a wave of Pro-Russian separatism on the island. Japan makes quick work of Siberia, and creates the buffer state of the Far Eastern Republic.

2032-2033: War of Indochinese Unification. Megacorp sponsored Thailand invades the war torn Vietnam and Laos under the justification of 'helping the struggling citizens of the nations.' While Thailand was quick to occupy the peninsula with their vastly superior forces, a communist guerrilla war still rages on in the region to today.

2034-2038: The Mexican Civil War. An anti-communist coup in northern Mexico sees the country delve in to chaos. While the annexedAmerican territory vies for independence, only Texas succeeds with RoA funding. The war ends in stalemate as Mexico has been split in tonorth, central, and south.

2035-2036: The Californian Civil War. Cascadian separatists rebel against the South Californian dominated government. The fighting is short lived and the ecotopia of Cascadia is founded in North California. It lays claim on all of Cascadia.

2038-2046: The Great War of China. Manchuria attempts to reunitethe lands of former China under one flag. This sparks a series of brush wars across the warlord states, which sees international and corporate interest due to China's wealth of natural resources. The war had no defined sides, with each warlord seeming to change alliances every week. Two things made the Great War of China famous; it was the first time nuclear weapons were deployed since the third world war (in limited tactical strikes), and it created a massive refugee crisis. By the final ceasefire of the war, at least twenty nuclear detonations had occurred and millions had lost their lives orwere displaced.

2040-2041: The Canadian Civil War. British Columbia and Alberta attempt to secede from Canada when Ontario nationalizes western oil reserves for use in the east. While the initial conflict is low key, the Republic of America sides with the seceding provinces and sends troops over the border. By the end of the conflict Alberta and British Columbia had fallen, Vancouver Island became a nation unto itself, and the Vancouver Metroplex became a protectorate of the RoA.

2045-2049: German War of Reunification. Anti-French sentiment inthe former German states reaches an all time high as relations between the regions sour. The military dictator of Hannover calls forGerman unification to destroy French hegemony over the Germanic peoples. Few states allied with and unified with Hannover, Bavaria and Westphalia sided with French interests, while the states of the former German Democratic Republic received Czechoslovakian and Pomeranian aid. By the end of the war, there were far less micronations in former Germany, but reunification was not achieved despite France's lack of direct involvement. Regardless of Hannover'ssuccess in unifying the former nation, it did seize a sizeable territory for itself, and cemented the state as a regional power.

2047: The New England War. Ongoing tensions between the Commune of Quebec and the staunch anti-Communist New England Alliance result in a New England surprise invasion. The war is quickly won as Maoist guerrillas attempt to seize power in Quebec after only a week of fighting. The Marxist-Leninist FLQ party signs a peace deal with New England to focus on what is now a civil war in the commune. Montreal and Acadia are made puppet states of New England.

Above are the participants of World War 3 and the Great War of Africa. Pro-American in blue, Pro-Soviet in red, Neutral in grey.

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