Asio-Opec War
One of Earth's bloodiest and intense wars ever, the Asio-Opec War was a struggle for control of one thing: fuel. The world was driven by oil, and control of it fell to a select few nations. In the early 21st century, leaps and bounds were made in solar power production by corporations such as L-Solar. This spurred the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) [1] to take steps to ensure a continued reliance on their product.Contents
Background
The rise of terrorist activity in oil-producing nations led many Western nations to begin seriously exploring alternative fuels. Progress in the arena of solar energy was particularly encouraging, but this progress alarmed the OPEC member nations who had gradually become some of the wealthiest nations in the world. The OPEC could see that solar energy would eventually pose a serious threat to the market for oil in the Western world. China, however, after overcoming many of its struggles to urbanize its massive population, had become the largest consumer of oil in the world.Nations form New Alliances
OPEC seized the opportunity in 2063 to make demands on the new energy sources by forging an alliance with their biggest customer, China. In exchange for increasing supply and lowering the cost per barrel, China agreed to a treaty requiring they come to the aid of any OPEC nation threatened by a foreign power. With a renewed confidence, the increased supply to China came with a decreased supply to the United States and Europe. The cost of fuel in many Western nations began to rise dramatically. At the same time, OPEC forged an alliance with third-world countries in Africa in an effort to create a buffer of friendly nations between OPEC countries and nations friendly to the United States.Western Nations Respond
The United States was forced to quickly increase domestic production in the hopes of stabilizing its own economy. Meanwhile, many European nations sought additional supplies from Russia. Neither move was enough to curtail declining economies. Western leaders began demanding increased production from OPEC member nations - some threats of war begin to surface. OPEC responds with ultimatums on the use of alternative fuels and sharing of solar energy technology. Foreign relations begin to deteriorate, and by 2068, the OPEC member nations left the UN. China soon followed.Preparing for War
Gas rationing becomes a staple of daily life in the United States, Canada, Great Britain, and many other Western nations. Some of the first solar powered, unmanned aerial drones are developed as military spending and development intensifies. In 2071, the US and Europe began a troop buildup in Israel and Turkey in an effort to seize control of oil fields if necessary. Meanwhile, Russia and Japan opted to remain neutral by signing nonaggression pacts with China and OPEC. Australia, also, declares its neutrality but secretly begins an extensive supply of oil reserves from OPEC to the US.China's immense army begins to reinforce key OPEC nations with troop and armament buildups.
Course of the War
First Strike
With failing economies in the Western world, a joint attack of US and European forces is launched on April 23, 2072 against Egypt, Iraq, and Saudi Arabia from their bases in Israel and Turkey. After fierce battles across the region for days, Chinese reinforcements in Saudi Arabia hold the nation's defenses, but the Iraqi oil fields fall to US/EU. The greatly strengthened Chinese Navy engages the US Pacific Fleet and Hawaii is cutoff from the US. The Pacific Fleet is overwhelmed by superior number of naval aircraft, and is forced to withdraw to California naval bases. The US western coast begins immediate defensive buildup. By June 2072, Venezuela's well-supplied army has invade Mexico and captured the US territory, Cuba. Chinese reinforcements join the Venezuelan army that now has a direct border with the US. The eminent threat from their southern border causes the US to re-institute the draft while Texas enters a state of emergency as civilians are evacuated further into the American heartland.By December of 2072, the Chinese Navy has cut the Australian-US trade route across the Pacific. Chinese and Venezuelan forces launch their campaign against the Mexican border with the US. The combined Asian and Latin American forces overwhelm the US military who is forced to retreat out of Texas leaving a thin defensive line bulging up into the midwest. Many other Asian nations enter into an alliance with China and begin contributing a great number of troops to supplement Chinese forces abroad.
Turning Tide
Canadian and EU forces converge on US soil to try and rescue the crippled US forces. These reinforcements help hold the Southern front while the American Airforce, still quite powerful, launches counterattacks on Chinese supply lines.Russia, meanwhile, begins to feel Chinese pressure in the form of demands to cease its supply of oil to European nations. Russia ignores the demands and begins mobilizing its forces along its border with China by May of 2073. While China's forces are scattered, Russia also sees an opportunity to push South through India to capture the oil fields of Iran. China is forced to withdraw part of its forces from bases in Mexico and Texas for an immediate and overwhelming strike against Russia.
Russia's entry into the war greatly benefits the United States who use the time to bolster its own defenses and methodically push the Venezuelan forces out of Texas and reestablish the trans-Pacific trade route to Australia. This also begins to cutoff Chinese supply lines with Venezuela. Chinese forces in Saudi Arabia are blockaded for a time, but by October 2073, Russia is forced to withdraw from Iran - allowing China to return its link to oil fields in Iran and Saudi Arabia.
The Winter of 2073
The coming winter, historically Russia's greatest weapon, forces China to slow its advance. Meanwhile, exiled Egyptian forces return to their country and force the US to withdraw its small reserves still stationed there.The winter of 2073 forces a stalemate on all sides. With massive causalities on all sides and global oil production down approximately 40%, there is little activity on all fronts. It seems that all nations simply use the time to regroup. The decreased oil supply trickles down to US manufacturing plants that otherwise have the resources to ramp up production of war machines.
Japan, who had successfully remained neutral, were feeling the effects of the war raging around them. Without either the other nations' business markets, their own economy had plummeted. A pro-War movement was taking hold as unemployment and rising food prices caused extreme unrest. By January 2074, Japan falls into a state of civil war. The US withdraws what few forces it has left in Japanese bases.
The Nuclear Threat
It is unclear where the intelligence came from, but in March of 2074, the United States claims to have received credible data that China was preparing for a nuclear strike. Satellite imagery showed the mass movement of military forces and civilians out of Beijing, Hong Kong, and Shanghai. The US interprets this as preparation for a nuclear counterattack.Decades earlier, the US had successfully tested its Patriot Missile Defense System and installed batteries in all NATO member nations. Some believe this may have led to Chinese hostility toward the West, but this is speculative. Despite having the anti-missile batteries, many leaders in the US and EU still had great concern about its effectiveness. Nuclear rearmament began in earnest in the US and many EU nations.
The threat became more real when a military coupe in China led to the assassination of the emperor, Xu Wei. This prompted a struggle for power among China's highest ranking generals. With one of the world's largest nuclear arsenals, China had rapidly become a powder keg with doomsday consequences for the rest of the world. Russia halted its counter advance to reclaim the full scope of its territory upon the pleas of the US. The reasoning was that a foreign threat while China struggled with leadership changes would prompt a nuclear launch.
Uneasy Stand-off
By 2075, many of the warring nations enter a prolonged stand-off. No nation wants to concede anything. The world's oil fields are roughly split evenly, and many nations find ways to exist with less oil.Food production, like all other commodities, drops off dramatically. It is estimated that China and Russia lose almost half their population during the course of the war. A significant portion of this comes from lack of food.