XCOM 2: Resistance Files
[All images used in this short story were taken from google images, I do not have copyright to these images. This story is not for the purpose of profit and is solely for the sake of entertainment and is not intended to breach any copyright law.]
What follows are from the records of XCOM post war on the known resistance groups, cells, networks and factions that worked with to expel the Elders from Earth and overthrow Advent. As well as communications that were marked for importance during the occupation and subsequent war, dossiers on certain individuals and reports of engagements that are noted as important.
Note that this file only hold Resistance groups, factions, cells and networks that consisted of more than a single operational cell, camp, base, group.
Resistance Groups, Factions and Cells:
Key:
-Conventional Weaponry - ballistic weapons aka bullets
-Improvised weaponry - weapons that have been built by the resistance with various pieces
-Magnetic/Mag Weaponry - weapons similar to those used by Advent forces
-Laser weaponry - outdated XCOM based laser tech weapons
-Plasma weaponry - high powered plasma weapon similar to those used by alien forces
-A.O - Area of Operations, the part of the world or of a country or continent that a certain resistance group operates in
Global:
This category consists of the largest Resistance groups and organisations that were not limited to specific locations or regions and fought Advent and the Elders across the planet in various encampments and outposts. Or operated on a mobile basis neve remaining in one location any longer than what was required for a specific reason, such as rest, resupply or mission.
Key:
Leader: who is overall charge of the group or faction
Headquarters: the name/ location of their primary headquarters
Number of Cells/Camps: How many cells or camp the group or factions has in their A.O
Number of Soldiers: How many soldiers they have - On average how many per cell or camp
Weapons Tech: the weapons used by the group/faction
Ranks: What ranks are noted for their officers
XCOM:
Leader: XCOM Commander
Headquarters: Mobile - XCOM Avenger
Number of Cells/Branches: 17 regional commands
Number of Troops: Active - 40, support - 50, Reserves - 300 worldwide
Weapons tech: Adapted - Conventional - Magnetic Weapons - Plasma Weapons - high explosives and rockets
Ranks: Officers
Avenger:
-Commander - Overall Command
-Central Officer - Day to Day operational command
-Chief Scientists - head of research
-Chief Engineer - construction, mainitence and manufacturing
Military forces:
-Colonel - Regional command - in charge of XCOM actions within Advent Sector
-Major -Alternate Command - Intelligence, Communications, technology, Ordnance Supply, Support
-Captain - Local Operations - Operations Chief during missions
-Lieutenant - Localised Cell command - work with local resistance cells for co-ordination
The original proposal of XCOM came from a council nations meeting in the early 1990s, however there are rumours that the actual establishment of the XCOM project could go back even further. (There is some evidence that a precursor of XCOM was operating during the 1960s -Lily Shen)
At the meeting of the various nations that made up the Council, it was agreed to create a specialised organisation that would consist of the best of all mankind, everyone from the best scientists, engineers military thinkers, strategists and of course the best soldiers from the council nations. They would have the best equipment as well as the ability to research and develop their own tools to ensure humanities future.
Then when the aliens invaded, XCOM was activated. Initially XCOM was able to resist the alien incursions, they successfully halted dozens of abduction attacks committed by the enemy during the opening months of the war (We were holding our own and starting to make a difference in technology- Central ). Sadly the Elders launched an all out campaign against the planet with fleets of warships coming into the atmosphere and unleashing waves of frontline units, this stretched XCOM forces to breaking point and eventually there were too many attacks for the limited numbers of troops XCOM had available.
Finally the governments of earth have no choice and the Council of Nations formally request an armistice from the Aliens. XCOM fought on however with the backing of private individuals who didn't believe in the surrender. This ended however when the base was attacked and overrun, nearly all personnel in the base were killed or taken prisoner, those that did manage to escape went into hiding. (I still have nightmares of that day- Central)
Over several years the remnants of XCOM were scattered across the planet and Central Officer Bradford worked to try and rebuild the organisation on a much smaller scale. XCOM would perform small operations in the form of a guerrilla movement for several more years until they were able to get the resources they needed to get the Avenger operational. (Even then it took us Months to get things really working, the priorities were set up, but it wasn't until the Commander was back that we could start building other facilities-Shen)
It was here that intelligence came from the Skirmisher faction on the possible location of XCOM's former Commander, not wanting to go in without a firm confirmation of the Commander. Central Officer Bradford asked a favour of the Reaper faction asking them to try and infiltrate the Gene Therapy Clinic the commander was being held in. It was Confirmed and XCOM began constructing a plan to liberate their leader and kickstart the war to retake earth.
They started by using the Unification day celebrations being Advents focus, with so much going on XCOM operatives and local resistance forces were able to infiltrate the City and provide the diversion for Crasher to get the Commander. The operational was deemed a costly success, Crasher 1 and 2 were killed during the escape, Central was badly wounded and the local resistance cell was nearly wiped out in retaliation. (A lot of people died that day, most of the local cell went into hiding not long after-Central)
Now though with the commander, XCOM started to fight back all the more harder, with the Avenger operational they began making contact with various local resistance cells across the planet to organise a global movement. They were soon able to gain the support of the more independent factions and were able to defeat the Elders Chosen with their help, with the help of Dr Tygan and Advent defectors XCOM was able to produce more powerful weapons and better equipment for the resistance that made it more of an equal playing field against the aliens.
During this time XCOM also undertook several missions to destroy key Advent research facilities that were focused on the Avatar Project and later raided the Advent network tower which kickstarted an planet wide uprising (Entire Cities rose up in rebellion in a matter of minutes -Shen), which was followed up with an all out assault on the Elders sanctuary. When the Psionic network went down XCOM organised local forces in the war against what remained of the enemy and would aid in the reconstruction effort when the war was over.
Now XCOM serves as a Gendarmerie a military force with law enforcement duties.
The Reapers:
Leader: Anton "Volk" Volikov
Headquarters: Central Command - Alaska
Number of Cells/ Camps: 37 camps worldwide - 42 Cells worldwide
Strength: Soldier - a few hundred worldwide
Weapons tech: Conventional, High Explosives - XCOM operatives: Magnetic, Plasma weapons, high explosives
Ranks: Officers
-General- Overall Command
-Commander - Regional Command
-Captain - localised camp leader
A group of radical and extreme survivalists, the Reapers founded themselves in the early years of the occupation, founded by a unknown individual. The only known leader of the faction was Anton Volikov or Volk to his friends (And there were not that many of them-Central) they were extreme in their methods of survival in every aspect of the word. It was a common practice for the Reapers to cook and eat the bodies of the aliens they killed, they also saw many other groups as weak and unwilling to do what was necessary to win.
The Reapers were experts at assault from a distance, they used a variety of sniper rifles to perform ambushes from the shadows against Advent and Elder forces. Alongside improvised claymore explosives to keep their enemies at bay and ensure they remain in the "Kill Zone". During the course of the occupation the Reapers kept mostly to the outskirts or in the ruins of abandoned cities of the old world and preferred to attack isolated Advent outposts or patrols they never attempted any incursion into the cities themselves.
Reaper bases were often found within these long abandoned cities from the days before the war often in the same ruins that the Lost were found. However the shattered remains of these very cities granted them a level of protection, with various places to hid in the different buildings and broken down walls it was easy for them to move between buildings and escape any attack or circumnavigate an attack by Advent. During the course of the occupation, the Reapers had a long feud with the Skirmishers who they saw as little more than the enemy in a different colour. They cared little for the truth that they were now fighting the same enemy.
This was not found in all the Reaper Cells however, some were recognised as being less radical and more moderate than the others. These Cells were more willing to work with XCOM and the other resistance groups against the common enemy in Advent and the Elders. Other Cells however actively refused to even talk to XCOM who believed that by working with such groups XCOM had betrayed the cause of humanity. (I used to think myself a real Reaper, but after what happened with Mox I guess I became one of these moderates-Outrider)
When the war was kickstarted again by XCOM after the revealing of Advents and the Elders intentions for Humanity igniting a global conflict. The Reapers under Volk "Came in from the Cold" and joined resistance forces across the globe in taking the fight to Advent loyalists in the cities.
Sadly for them the Reapers found themselves without a purpose after the war the sacrifices of many ex advent and alien resistance groups made their arguments of exterminating all captured Advent and Aliens null and void. Over time the Reapers began to fizzle out in the world they had fought so hard for ( Last I heard Volk went back to Alaska and opened a bar -Central), those of the less radical cells signed on with XCOM and continued to serve to protect the Earth in the new freedom.
The Skirmishers:
Leader: Betos
Headquarters: Alpha Base - Site X - North America
Number of Cells/Camps: 63 Cells worldwide - 31 Camps worldwide
Strength: Soldiers - 713 worldwide
Weapons tech: Conventional, high explosives - XCOM operatives: Magnetic, Plasma Weapons, High explosives
Ranks: Officers
-Commander - overall command
-Major - regional command
-Captain - localised cell command
-lieutenant - platoon command
-Sergeant - team command
A group of Advent Defectors, the Skirmishers began with a single Hybrid, Betos. Somehow her control chip had a fault and allowed her to think for herself. The Elders ordered her to be captured and eliminated but she was able to escape.
With the knowledge she had Betos began to free and recruit other Advent soldiers to her cause in the hope of one day freeing their people from the Control of the Elders or in their minds "The False Gods". As they were all battle-hardened soldiers for Advent with experience in heavy weapons, the Skirmishers began to be a real annoyance for Advent as others like Betos joined the faction and passed on their experience.
Unlike most other resistance groups, the Skirmishers were more willing to attempt missions and actions into the City centres controlled by the Advent Coalition. Primarily however these were usually incursions to extract freed advent units that were seeking to join the Skirmishers as well as small missions to perform sabotage actions in Advent industries or facilities (Yeah by using the Sewers-Lily Shen). The Skirmishers often established their camps and outposts in far off locations, mostly in small long abandoned military bases or makeshift encampments they themselves have established in the wilderness. Although they do use the underground sewers and service tunnels that crisscross the underground of Advent Cities. (In the early years Advent did not pay attention to the sewers-Pratal Mox)
They were more willing to work with other resistance groups, since the lack of certain weapons for them made their ability limited in certain forms. For the most part they were willing to work with XCOM especially when XCOM lead a successful raid against the Elders Chosen. When the war for the planet was ignited, the Skirmishers called on their sleeper agents across the world to aid the resistance whilst dozens of Advent soldiers of all kinds began to defect to them.
After the war, the Skirmishers signed on with the global council and were incorporated into XCOM, the first few years saw the soldiers formerly of the faction guarding XCOM prisons where Advent and Aliens were being held after Advent Surrendered. Upon the release of the Aliens and most Advent after successful reintegration initiatives, many members of the Skirmishers signed on with different law enforcement departments of the the various cities across the globe. (Betos now serves as a Captain the XCOM training Academy-Central)
The Templars:
Leader: Geist
Headquarters: Order Headquarters
Number of Cells/ Camps: 42 Chapters world wide
Number of Members: few hundred
Weapons Tech: Advanced Psionics, conventional- XCOM operatives: Advanced Psionics, Magnetic and Plasma weapons
Ranks: Officers
-Grand Master - Overall leader
-Grand Marshal - Sector Leader
-Knight Commander - Chapter leader
-Sergeant Major - chief warrior
-Knight
A group that resembles the Cults of Earth before the invasion, the Templars are fiercely focused on the advancement of their Psionics and nothing else. They regard Psionics with a sense of religious fervour similar in regards of the Advent Priests, though for the Templars it is not about the Elders but the energy itself.
Founded by a former XCOM operative, known only as Geist, he was a volunteer of XCOMs early attempts at Psionic advancement. Sadly during his procedure the Aliens attacked the base and Geist was interrupted in his procedure, after escaping the wreckage he found that his memory was all but lost. He formed the Templars to continue the advancement of Psionics in humans and aimed for the similar heights of the Elders. Advent was against this however and fervently pursued them, the Templars became a global resistance faction, operating from hidden strongholds or "Chapters" as they refer to as, where their members would practice their abilities and co-ordinate their efforts.
Reclusive and isolated, the Templars operated from their "Chapters" operating small hit and run attacks against Advent patrols and isolated facilities where they used their Psionic gauntlets to attack at close range.
After XCOM ignited the war and forced the Elders off the planet, the Templars all but vanished, all communications with Geist went silent and investigations into their "Chapters" found them all empty. (Despite every attempt we made... we just couldn't get back in touch with them... Even Torch the Templar who served alongside us for months on the Avenger vanished, he was there one day and gone the next - Jane Kelly)
The Liberated:
Leader: XCOM commander
Headquarters: XCOM Avenger
Number of Cells/Camps: 30 safe havens world wide
Number of Soldiers: roughly a few hundred active soldiers worldwide, few hundred more undercover
Weapons Tech: Plasma Weapons - Plasma based explosives
Ranks: officers
-Commander - Regional Command
-Captain - Localised Cell leader
-Intelligence Chief
-Logistics Chief
-Military Chief
After the fall of XCOM and the establishment of Advent, the former XCOM commander was placed into Advents "Care", he was fused with an advanced simulation system with the express purpose of enhancing the military and strategic capabilities of Advents forces.
However what they didn't realise was that during this whole time, he was able to maintain some semblance of his self conscious, whilst he was unable to comprehend what was happening. As far as his Conscious mind could understand he was fighting the aliens not serving them, but he was able to use the Psionic network that connected all Advent forces to his advantage. In his simulations of fighting the aliens, the Commander was observed capturing Alien forces and turning them against the Elders. When in truth he was "Liberating" Aliens and Advent personnel and recruiting them for a new Resistance network. (Seems that even in captivity they couldn't stop him fighting-Central)
These Liberated agents were focused as undercover operatives that actively collected and passed on intelligence to the resistance cells working across the globe. After his rescue by XCOM the commander integrated the Liberated into the growing resistance movement headed by XCOM, the aliens and advent units that made up the Liberated remained mostly as undercover agents working from the shadows passing along intelligence and vital warnings for the resistance. And it was not just certain individual species, whilst Sectoids, Vipers and Mutons made up the majority there were a number of Berserkers, Archons, Andromedons, faceless and even a few Chrysalids.
With certain species taking on certain roles, Sectoids became expert Saboteurs thanks to their psionics allowing to keep hidden to an extent, Vipers became the snipers of their cells. Mutons, Berserkers and Andromedons obviously became the fighters and heavy weapons. Faceless for obvious reasons were tasked with infiltration and observation, with Chrysalids being ambushers.
Whilst many in the resistance were always uncertain about working with non humans, XCOM managed to convince them to work with the liberated for a shared goal of ousting the Elders. On several occasions the liberated required rescue by XCOM after operatives and agents were uncovered by Advent, these individuals joined XCOM forces aboard the Avenger or aided in the running of the ship itself (The Liberated were of great help in keeping the Avenger going, they knew more about the tech onboard than I ever could-Lily Shen). By the time of XCOM igniting the War, dozens of Liberated were working aboard the avenger and countless others were working directly with local resistance cells.
After the war, members of the liberated wilfully surrendered themselves to the global government and as with most Aliens and Advent forces they were placed into interment facilities or prisons until such a time that it was deemed they were safe. However due to the statements given by XCOM personnel and the Commander they were all sent to a specified location of their own with less restrictions and privileges. (They had risked so much for us, we couldn't just betray them like that, they didn't seem to mind though they trusted us in XCOM-Central)
They were the first aliens to be reintegrated back into the world, many of certain species, such as Berserkers and Berserkers attempted to sign on with XCOM once again and after a resolution by the Global Council they were granted such. (Maero the Muton now works alongside Central last I heard-Lily Shen)
EXVENT: Advent Defectors and Rebels
Leader: Commander Bell
Headquarters: Exvent HQ
Number of Cells/Camps: 12 Cells worldwide - 12 Camps worldwide
Number of Soldiers: few hundred worldwide
Weapons tech: Magnetic weapons, high explosives
Ranks: officers
-Commander - Overall Command
-Lieutenant Commander - Sector Command
-Lieutenant - Localised Cell Command
There is a clear reason that Advent focused more on the production of Hybrid clones rather than the genetic augmenting of willing volunteers, EXVENT is that reason.
During the early years of the Advent Administration, the support for the new global government was high despite the efforts of early resistance groups. Advent called on willing volunteers to join the Advent Peacekeeper Corps with the express purpose of protecting the citizens of the world and bring help to those in need such as aiding in the construction efforts, the transporting and distribution of supplies etc.
Untold numbers of people answered the call and willing join Advent and even allowed themselves to be altered genetically, being told that the alterations would allow them to perform their duties on a greater level of skill. What Advent didn't tell them however was that in the process they would be surrendering that which made them Human. (I still find it difficult to believe that people would go through with it-Central)
Eventually a great number of Advent units began to question their actions against those that lived in the "outlands" away from the City Centres that were Advent controlled. Many of these units began to work cooperatively to learn about the implants Advent had placed within their skulls, eventually they were able to remove them and sever their connection to the Psionic Network. (People didn't understand, even I believed in Advent for a time Central-Dr Tygan)
This was discovered by the Elders and Advent and decided that such troops were no longer trustworthy, they ordered all those units that had been a part of the conspiracy to garrison an isolated outpost in the outlands. When they were all present, Advent launched an assault with cloned Hybrids indoctrinated into Advent ideology, the EXVENT resisted the assault and managed to defeat the attackers taking many prisoner, realising that Advent had betrayed them before they betrayed it.
As a collective they chose to rebel against their former masters and used the new found knowledge of removing Advent Control chips to recruits those they had captured during the assault. Now with a strong force, EXVENT took Advent aerial transports and scattered into several encampments across the world where they would continue their work at freeing hybrids and perform active resistance operations including sabotage, bombings, ambushes etc.
Eventually they met up with the Skirmishers who in turn introduced them to XCOM, EXVENT worked closely with XCOM to aid them in the fight against the Elders. In exchange XCOM aided EXVENT in the recruitment of more captured Advent units who were brought into the fight, after the operation to take down the Psionic network, EXVENT worked XCOM to battle the remaining Advent and Aliens across the world. (We had to build a brig aboard the Avenger for them, but it was worth it for the interrogations we managed to perform-Central)
After the war ended, EXVENT was brought into XCOM and was tasked with hunting down and securing all the Advent cloning facilities across the world alongside aiding in the capturing of any surviving Advent forces that refused to heed the surrender. (It is to my understanding that they were very successful in such operations many Advent forces were captured by EXVENT units-Dr Tygan) They later continued to serve alongside humans and Aliens after they were released some with XCOM and others in local law enforcement.
The Dreamers: Alien, Hybrids, Rebels
Leader: Caine
Headquarters: Sky-Haven - Pyrenees
Number of Cells/Camps: 56 cells worldwide - 56 Camps worldwide
Number of Soldiers: few thousand worldwide
Weapons Tech: Conventional, Magnetic, Plasma Weapons, High Explosives
Ranks: Officers
-Commander - Overall Command
-Colonel - Operational chief of a department -Intelligence, Supply, Communications, Technology
-Major - Sector Command
-Captain - Localised Cell Command
-Lieutenant
According to the Dreamers, each of the different alien species the Elders had enslaved into service had at one point or another resisted them. Each and every species had once faced the same invasion by the Elders over countless generations, despite many fighting the Elders always seemed to win.
Even after their worlds were abandoned with the Elders not finding what they wanted, some tried to fight back with the Dreamers saying that over countless generations and possibly centuries many had tried to ignite revolutions and rebellions. However as always such attempts always failed with those who resisted the Elders preferring to remain in the shadows. (Its kinda hard to remember sometimes especially then that the Aliens were just slaves, that they didn't have any choice-Lily Shen)
That changed on Earth where those who would become the Dreamers a mix of Aliens and later Hybrids came together and formed their own semi nomadic community. For years they remained under the radar until eventually they were discovered by Advent, this changed the groups perspective after a valued elderly member was killed by Advent forces. Lead by a young human male named only Caine, the group became a highly active resistance group operating across the world, performing various actions against Advent and the Elders. Eventually the group numbered in the thousands across the world not just Aliens and Hybrids but humans who didn't agree with certain Xenophobic ideas of other groups.
But their stronghold was the mountains of the Pyrenees between France and Spain, here within the mountains was an abandoned Advent facility which the Dreamers turned into their Headquarters co-ordinating their efforts planet wide. The location was a literal fortress with various defensive systems surrounding it as well as internal systems inside that allowed the base to be self sufficient. (I remember seeing that base, it reminded me of XCOM HQ before the fall-Central)
To make them more of a danger for Advent, the Dreamers had salvaged and scavenged from various sources, various aircraft and combat vessels both human and alien. These included a squadron of fighter bombers known to XCOM as Firestorms, vessels that XCOM had built using alien technologies. The Dreamers had acquired these by salvaging the old XCOM bases across the world. To back these small vessels up they also had several other vehicles most of which were prototypes of various nations, such as the American Thunderbird, a four engine helicopter craft and the Manticore, a European aircraft that served both as a small troop transport and a fighter bomber. As well as the squadron of captured Advent transport/gunships.
On numerous occasions Advent attempted to wrestle control of the site from the Dreamers and each time they were repelled with extreme loss of life on their part with none of the attacks even managing to get past the perimeter defences. These victories convinced other smaller resistance cells to join the Dreamers as well as many other Aliens that had broken free. (There were rumours in the early days that Caine had a Psionic ability that allowed him to "Free" Aliens and Advent from Elder Control, but he was never willing to share such with us-Central)
Although they were willing to work with XCOM and the other resistance groups, they kept very much to themselves operating from hidden camps scattered across the globe where their non combatants would shelter in and their fighters could organise, rest and restock supplies. Their greatest focus was what the Elder wanted, whilst XCOM hit several Avatar Project facilities, it was the Dreamers that performed more of an impact harrying supplies shipments and construction efforts for other so called Black-sites. (According to Caine though the Avatar Project was the Elders second attempt at saving themselves using Humans-Jane Kelly)
Their greatest achievement came during igniting of the war, after XCOM had revealed the truth about Advent and launched an assault to take down the Psionic network. The Dreamers amassed their entire force alongside other resistance cells and groups they had contact with such as disillusioned Reapers and Partisans (From what we know their force consisted of well over 5,000 fighters in the first assault-Lily Shen), together they launched an all out assault on the Advent Capital city. An assault that was so successful in its initial strike that much of the city was taken before the Psionic network went down.
For much of the war The Dreamers worked with XCOM to combat Advent forces across the planet, when Advent finally surrendered, many expected the Dreamers to be like the Liberated and wilfully go into secure encampments. However Caine resisted this, declaring that if the Global council tried to do so anyway, he would fight against it not just with words but with action. (He really fought them for it, I remember seeing him in the Council chambers, his eyes glowed with Psionics he was that angry-Central)
When no one heard them, the Dreamers gathered in force, every member alien, hybrid and human and performed a march with a musical band playing towards the Global Council building in protest. Nearly six and a half thousand people took part with Caine leading them, when XCOM peacekeepers blocked their path, Caine removed every bit of armour he was wearing and placed his weapons next to them, this was followed by everyone around him and as one they continued their walk forwards stopping only a literal step from the line. (I was there that day, I remember watching them marching... I couldn't help but feel for them-Lily Shen)
The Global Council had to stop what they were doing upon hearing of the march, its said that when they looked out their windows they saw the whole street filled with Dreamers and every building filled with people watching it. (I remember it too, listening to the Council discussing a matter then crowding the windows to see-Central) Caine then showed on all the screens across the city the final message of the original Dreamers of how they must defy to make their Dream, Reality.
This heightened public support for the Dreamers plight, this as well as their actions in leading a peaceful march halted the Councils thoughts on "relocation" and granted a formal permit for the Dreamers to remain where they were. After the reintegration of Aliens and Hybrids into society, the Dreamers were granted by the Global council the right to establish their own colony in the Pyrenees around their former base of operations.
The Ascendancy: Advent Priests turned Traitors
Leader: Ascendant Council
Headquarters: High Temple
Number of Cells/Camps: 37 temples worldwide
Number of Soldiers: No active soldiers - number of "Priests" few hundred
Weapons tech: Magnetic weapons and Advanced Psionics
Ranks: Officers
-No attainable ranks beyond the Ascendant Council
Its unknown when the group began, but at some point a number of Advent Priests began to question. They questioned why Advent and the Elders restricted the ability of Psionic powers and prohibited the greater understanding of Psionics itself.
During this question however they were uncovered by the Elders who chose to make an example of these so called traitors. These priests managed to escape into the wilderness where they established the Ascendancy an organisation of former Advent Priests with the so purpose of understanding Psionics not as a weapon or a force to use but something to learn and worship.
Unlike the Templars who treat it on a level of zealously, the priest of the Ascendancy believe that although Psionics is a natural force it is also a means of achieving what they refer to as Enlightenment on a spiritual level. Within a series of hidden temples across the world, they perform tasks such as meditation and defensive arts with the use of Psionics.
Whilst some would see a level of similarity of the Buddhist monks of the old world, the Priests of the Ascendancy are not closed off to outsiders, they are always willing to allow outsiders to enter their temples when in need. Whether that need is shelter, food or medical help, the Priests are always willing to help those in need, even if that meant having to fight off some Advent attackers, with the priests taking on various roles to fiercely defend their temples from any who seek to bring harm to those under their care.
Although they did not perform active roles against Advent and the Elders, the Ascendancy was of great help to the resistance, knowing their mistrust of Advent and hatred of the Elders. Those resistance cells that knew the location of the temples of the Ascendancy would often go to them when members of their cell were wounded or in need of help. (I remember after a mission for the Commander meeting up with a Liberated Contact, I got wounded by an Advent soldier who then got killed by a priest. The Priest took me to one of the temples and looked after my wound until the skyranger came to pick me up-Jane Kelly)
For this willingness to help, after the war ended the Global Council granted them a certain level of amnesty, whilst some individuals that had performed horrific actions on behalf of Advent would have to answer for their crimes. The Ascendancy as a whole was allowed to remain intact and was even recognised as a legitimate organisation, many with Psionics abilities would travel to Ascendancy temples to learn from those who know Psionics best, with many even electing to stay and join the Priests in their aims of achieving enlightenment.
The Partisans: Radical insurgents
Leader: Saw
Headquarters: Mobile
Number of Cells/Camps: 19 Cells worldwide - No permanent camps
Number of Soldiers: roughly 200 soldiers
Weapons tech: Conventional weaponry, improvised conventional weaponry and explosives
Ranks: Officers:
-Command - Overall leadership
-Captain - Chief of Operations - Logistics, ordnance, Intelligence
Extremists, Radicals, Insurgents, Dissidents, Terrorists. These are all names that are often given to cells that make up the Partisans.
To date it is unknown when the Partisans began, with some believing that the organisation began after the governments of Earth surrendered to the Elders and failed to resist the creation of Advent. Its considered that the early Partisan movements were made up of the surviving soldiers, sailors and airmen of the different militaries of the world.
However after many years, the group known as the Partisans became more known and organised under the leadership of a single man known only as Saw. The group at its height consisted of a strong central force of roughly a hundred fighters that would be constantly moving from one location to another regardless of the continent. After a number of years the Partisans began to show their extreme side, they performed bombings in Advent controlled cities, various ambushes against Advent Convoys and trains, attacks and raids against Advent outposts, stations and production facilities. (They were very good at causing trouble for Advent-Central)
Despite these successes however their campaigns were regarded as extreme by other cells and often lead to significant Civilian casualties. Which allowed Advent Propaganda to point them out as an example of the failings of the old world and would often regard any Resistance group with the same moniker. The Partisans were known for the extreme methods which included the torturing of captured Advent personnel, deliberately targeting of non military personnel and even execute those who surrender.
Whilst these actions often turned more moderate resistance fighters away, it also appealed to those who had suffered under Advent control. At its height the Partisans had in their control several Advent transport vessels and aircraft which they used to broaden their horizon of targets, with these transports they were able to perform guerrilla warfare actions anywhere in the world.
Things got so bad that eventually nearly all Resistance factions and groups formerly denounced the Partisans and deemed them nothing more than anarchists and terrorists. Upon the resurgence of XCOM, the Partisans were officially passed over in favour of more moderate resistance groups, with the Commander actively refusing to even discuss matters with the groups leader. Declaring he wanted nothing to do with a resistance that cared only about the end result. (At first I didn't understand why, we needed every resistance to work with us, but the Commander told me that if we become as ruthless as the enemy then what was the point in winning-Central)
Although the Partisans took part in the battles of the War against Advent after the fall of the Psionic network, the victory of XCOM and the surrender of Advent lead to the group having to formerly disbanded with many of its members attempting to return to civilian life. Others however the more extreme among them were arrested by the global council, on the charges of crimes in the conduct of warfare or the conspiracy to Commit crime in the conduct of warfare.
The Rail-Road: Non combative refugee underground
Leader: Eleanor Dare
Headquarters: "Rail Station"
Number of Cells/Camps: 92 safe havens worldwide
Number of soldiers: None - Unknown number of contacts worldwide
Despite the efforts of Advent propaganda and the standard of living that all experienced in Advent controlled cities, there were bound to be people that saw through the lies and recognised the truth that Advent was an oppressive regime. Those wishing to leave however and find those who are free have to go through the dangers of escaping the cities first, That's why many who choose to do so try and find the Rail-Road.
The Rail-Road goes back to the days of the initial invasion when refugees were desperately attempting to escape the invaders attacking major cities. This continued into the days of Advent with the new organisation taking on the name of the old earth underground rail-road the ferried escaped slaves, only now the group would work to move people wanting to escape Advent.
While actual numbers are hard to come by, the Rail-Road operated in nearly every major Advent City in one way or another, whether that was individual operatives working to find people wanting to leave as well as vet them to ensure they weren't infiltrators, or active safe houses and contacts on both sides of Advent city limits. Many of the actual members of the Rail-Road were people who had actually been helped by the group and had offered to help, they do so via providing help in the underground safe havens, that can include helping people who are hurt, manning the communications, watching our for Advent, reinforcing the supports for the tunnels or just simple tasks like cooking and cleaning.
The methods they use to ferry or escort people out of Advent cities varied depending of the city itself. Some cities were relatively easy as they had access to major travel routes that civilians had access to, whereas other needed to be properly organised and even built. A great number of cities required the Rail-Road to either rebuild damaged boats to carry people or had to build a series of tunnels underground that lead from a safe location to a site away from the city where a contact would be waiting.
No one knows how many the Rail-Road rescued over the course of the occupation, at least several thousand at most many hundreds of thousands.
The EXHALT Global Resistance: Those who fought and died
Leader: Unknown
Headquarters: London - Destroyed
Number of Cells/Camps: Unknown - least 16
Number of Soldiers: Unknown - possibly several hundred
Weapons Tech: Conventional weaponry - Laser weaponry - high explosives
Ranks: Officer
-Commander - Overall Command
-Chief Officer - Day to Day operations
-Logistics officer
-Sector Commander
-Localised Cell Commander
During the early years of Advent there was an attempt by a few to establish a global resistance network many of them were formerly supporters of the XCOM project with many of its surviving soldiers, scientists and engineers joining the organisation. It is known that the group referred itself as EXALT and operated at first in the same manner of XCOM during its early years, operating from the shadows gathering supporters and recruits across the world. (I heard about these guys, but didn't find them until it was too late-Central)
When the time came for them to fight back, they worked in sleeper cells in the former countries that made up the Council of Nations that created XCOM in the first place. These Cells only ever activated when needed and then retreated back into the shadows to avoid being detected, when they were however the other cells of the network would go into hiding. (Dad told me about them, he was really tempted to join them but couldn't risk the Avenger-Lily Shen)
Whilst they had a militant wing, they primarily acted in the form of indirect resistance, performing missions that included the sabotaging of Advent facilities and infrastructure, the hacking of propaganda and later when they had stronger weapons raids on Advent research facilities. At first Advent was unable to counter these cells until they used the former XCOM commander via the simulations he was implanted into to combat this network. Advent deemed the EXALT network a credible threat as the constant harassment of EXHALT made it more likely that other resistance groups might follow suit and perform more daring attacks.
One by one Advent dispatched infiltrators known to the Resistance as Faceless to locations that EXHALT cells had been identified and systematically hunted down the various sleeper cells across the world. Until finally Advent managed to identify the location of the EXHALT headquarters at a penthouse in London, they launched a co-ordinated raid against the location and utterly wiped out EXHALT forces defending the location. (Advent didn't even try to cover it up, They made the assault a highlight of the propaganda- Dr Tygan)
Those that survived were eventually hunted down by Advent peacekeepers and either captured or killed on the spot.
Continental:
These Resistance groups were more focused within a certain region or sector of Earth, often harassing and causing general annoyance against Advent Forces in the region. Although these groups often worked independently of one another, it was often reported by XCOM intelligence that certain groups within the same region would work together on rare occasions.
North America:
it has been noted by XCOM intelligence that certain parts of the world had a higher level of resistance groups when compared to others, North America was a strange distinction as it had various groups often operating within close proximity of each other.
Due to the abundance of resistance groups operating with close proximity of each other they would often work together in certain regards. Although they would not actively become a single resistance network, this willingness to work together allowed them to combat Advent and the Aliens on a Regional or Sector wide scale.
The Hunters: Forest Raiders
Leader: Anna Bray
Headquarters: Mobile
Number of Cells/Camps: 12 Camps in their A.O - 12 Cells
Number of Soldiers: less than 400 - roughly 33 per Cell
Weapons Tech: Improvised Conventional weapons
Ranks: Officers
-Hunter Command - Overall Leadership
-Chief - Sector Command
-Chief warrior - Local Cell command
The hunters operate across the nation formerly known as Canada and up into Alaska, Advents changes to food and where it can come from made it difficult for people living in the wilds of the region.
As well as this Advent made hunting illegal even for the reason of self sustaining life, they wanted to get people to abandon the outlands and isolated towns and villages and concentrate themselves in the cities that they fiercely controlled. This insulted a great number of traditionalists who believed that their ancestral way of life was being attacked, these villages and towns refused, Advent sent in troops and arrested a number of them as criminals and dissidents. Many fought back and formed the Hunters.
At first the primary goal of the Hunters was to use their knowledge of the world and their expertise in hunting and remaining hidden to harass Advent attempts to as they refer to as it Adventation of their lands. However over time as Advent became more fierce with their position launching attacks in retaliation, the Hunters reorganised into a solid resistance group remaining constantly on the move to avoid being caught unawares by Advent.
As experts in wilderness life, the Hunters became to an extent a less radical version of the Reapers, performing ambushes on Advent convoys and night time raids against Advent checkpoints and outposts, before "Melting" back into the wilderness before Advent can bring in reinforcements.
When they came into contact with XCOM the Hunters became a good ally and provided a great amount of intelligence when it came to Advents capabilities in the region. In exchange XCOM was able to ensure that the families and non combatants of the Hunters members had safe havens to stay in provided by other more secure resistance groups. This allowed the Hunters to move much quicker and be able to escape attacks sooner.
After XCOM revealed the truth and ignited the war, the Hunters launched an attack on the only major Advent "City" in the Northern part of Canada the town of Churchill which served as Advents administrative, military and logistical centre for the whole of the northern region.
After the war, the group disbanded with its members returning to their civilian lives.
The Brotherhood: Defenders of the Capital
Leader: Commander Jonathan Steel
Headquarters: U.S Steel - Washington D.C
Number of Cells/Camps: 15 camps in their A.O
Number of Soldiers: roughly 700 - around 45 soldiers per Camp
Weapons tech: Conventional weapons, Improvised conventional weapons and Explosives
Ranks: Officer
-Commander - Overall Command
-Paladin - Regional Command
-Sentinel - Localised Cell Command
Operating primarily out of the ruins of the former Capital of the United States of America, the Brotherhood found it relatively easy to find various means of resisting Advent attempts at moving into the city. Within Washington D.C they had direct access to various armouries left over from the invasion both within the White House, Pentagon and the other buildings of importance for the former government. Add on the wrecked remains of various vehicles that lined the city streets they had quick access to materials.
With their primary headquarters being focused in an old steel factory complex, which served not only as their headquarters but also as their foundry for the fabrication of new weapons, ammunition and explosives for their forces to use in their battles against Advent. Such ambushes and raids were so successful in fact that Advent decided to abandon any attempts to rebuild Washington D.C and mark it for their propaganda as the failings of the old world.
With the entire city at their disposal they established a series of outposts and encampments around the city, with some being built within the Pentagon, White House and Congress building. With the city as their stronghold, their numbers grew rapidly as smaller resistance cells chose to join them as a means of fighting the enemy better. Over time the Brotherhood spread out into other areas with their focus remaining around Washington D.C and the Appalachian Mountains.
By the time XCOM was reorganised the Brotherhood had roughly several hundred active members with many more acting in support. The Brotherhood were more than willing to work with XCOM in bringing down the Aliens and Advent puppets, with some of their troops signing on with XCOM itself and joining the force of soldiers aboard the Avenger. When the war began, Washington became one of two safe haven for refugees across the East coast with anyone not wanting to fight being allowed to find shelter in the city under the Brotherhoods protection.
After the war the Brotherhood was formally disbanded with many its members joining the new D.C police force.
The Free: Prison Rebels
Leader: Free Council
Headquarters: Free Town - Utah
Number of Cells/Camps: 16 camps in their A.O
Number of Soldiers: roughly 800 - roughly 15 per cell
Weapons tech: Improvised Conventional weapons and explosives
During the early years of Advent, there was much attempt by the Administration to ensure that the prisons that were controlled and operated by Advent were far better when compared to those of the so called old. And at first such was clear when images were shown to the world of how criminals despite being such were still experiencing the same quality of life improvements that the rest of the world was experiencing.
However what wasn't showed was that despite these changes, a good number of prisoners were not criminals but people who had committed crimes against Advent such as speaking out, defacing Advent propaganda, supporting resistance efforts even just being part of the military could lead to one being placed in an Advent prison.
Within these prisons the system was still clear where the Guards held power over everyone. At the time Advent didn't have peacekeepers watching over prisons instead they were managed by the Internal Security Administration with the guards being ordinary humans. However this lead to some reports of malpractice and abuse by the Guards on the prisoners on a regular basis but Advent didn't care.
For the Free, the story is the same with their prison known as correctional facility Zero Alpha being within the Central United States. The tale of their resistance against Advent began as a prison riot in a section of the underground facility, which soon spread into the other sections and then into an all out rebellion against Advent.
The Free overwhelmed the guards and took control of the facility, they then organised themselves into different cells and left the prison becoming a full resistance group, in total the group consisted of roughly 5,000 fighters scattered across the region. The Free found their focus to be prisons and prisoner transports knowing the full truth of the Advent Prison systems, they vowed to never let innocent people face the same hardships they had faced. As well as that they raided and ambushed Advent convoys coming from the prisons knowing well that the transport carry that which the prisoners inside were forced to build, often the parts for Advent Mecs and Sectopods.
Due to a limit on transport however they mainly operated around the Region of the central United States into other areas when required. When the war kickstarted the Free gathered together and began systematic attacks against Advent controlled prisons across the former United States, a number had already been severely damaged or had been facing internal uprisings when XCOM revealed the truth.
After the war the Prisoners were all granted pardons by the new Global Council and allowed to return to their families across the world.
The New Californian Rangers: West Coast Warriors
Leader: General Lee Oliver
Headquarters: West Pine station
Number of Cells/Camps: 43 Camps in their A.O - 23 active cells in their A.O
Number of Soldiers: roughly 1,000 - Around 40 Rangers per Cell
Weapons tech: Conventional weapons, Improvised Conventional weapons and explosives
Ranks: Officers
-General - Overall Command
-Colonel - Command of Department - Supply, Intelligence, Civil Support, Communications
-Major - Regional Command
-Captain - Localised Camp/Cell Command
-Lieutenant - Platoon leader
In the initial aftermath of the Formation of Advent most law enforcement agencies and precincts were overturned and investigated by the Administration. Untold thousands of police officers, federal agents and even forest rangers were arrested across the whole planet, but some didn't wait when the rumours began to spread.
Their stronghold became the Sierra Nevada Mountains in California but as their numbers grew, they began to establish camps and outposts across the west coast from Baja California in the South to Seattle in the North. The NCR as they nick named rely more on carefully placed ambushes and well planned strikes against Advent outposts, checkpoints and facilities across the coastline, however the majority of the NCR would be focused on the defence of civilians settlements across the west coast from any Advent retaliations.
The NCR were easily recognised by their distinctive uniforms which came in part for their founders being of the law enforcement and ex military personnel. This also gave them a measure of legitimacy when compared to the other rag tag resistance groups that later joined them after it became clear that a more organised group would be able to do more damage to the occupation. They were also one of the few resistance groups to try and counter Advent Propaganda by secretly dispensing flyers and putting up posters in Advent Cities as well as attempting to send messages to the people via hack radio communications.
When XCOM revealed the truth, the NCR found their recruitment sky rocket with huge numbers of people fleeing the Advent cities wanting to join the fight. The NCR lead the assault on several cities including the infamous liberation of Los Angeles where they fought alongside groups such as the now famed Foxtrot Two November.
After the war, the NCR was turned into a law enforcement agency for the region of the west coast, not just in the cities but also in the wilderness where they aided XCOM forces in the hunting down of any Advent survivors.
The NYPD: North East U.S
Leader: Commissioner Thomas Gregson
Headquarters: Metro Precinct
Number of Cells/Camps: 12 "Precincts" in their A.O - 12 active cells in their A.O
Number of Soldiers: roughly two to three hundred - 25 per Precinct
Weapons Tech: Improvised Conventional weapons and explosives
Ranks: Officers
-Commissioner - Overall Command
-Chief of Department - command of department - Supply, Civil Support, Intelligence
-Bureau Chief - Regional Command
-Deputy Chief - Localised Cell/Camp command
New York during the days of the old Earth, was a hub of commerce mostly via Electronics but the amount of economic wealth going through the wires and communications that crisscrossed the city made it infamous. When the Aliens attacked however this didn't prevent them from launching a brutal assault on the city which lead to most of Manhattan becoming a landscape of wrecked skyscrapers and broken ruins. The Infamous Empire state building was toppled over after a UFO crashed into it after being hit by ground fire of the U.S national guard.
In a desperate move the NYPD was ordered by the state to evacuate civilians away from the fighting, the Chief of Police ordered for the officers to get people down into the underground stations and using the same tunnels people used to traverse the city before the invasion. When Advent came into power a number of these officers regardless of their position created their own resistance group calling themselves literally the NYPD, with their base of operations being an expanded Underground station.
At first their priority was to aid people who had been trapped in the remains of New York City or establish small encampments in the ruins of their former precincts around the city. As Advent began pushing in however and the NYPD saw how Advent forces treated people living in the city, they decided to fight back. Scavenging weapons and equipment from the armouries left behind from the invasion and began an effective insurgency against Advent incursions. Eventually they were able to push Advent completely out of the city, thus making the ruins of New York liberated, with freedom of movement around the city.
The NYPD established new camps and outposts across the city not only for their soldiers but also for civilians to settle within and live their lives free of Advent. Overtime a number of outcasts that had escaped or fled Advent came to New York and signed on with the NYPD, soon the group was establishing outposts and camps across the former state of New York and later further abroad as far north as Maine.
They were willing recruits for the XCOM global network of resistance after they had heard of XCOM and its various successful missions via contact with other groups. When the war began, the resistance used New York like they had Washington D.C, they turned the city into a safe haven for people fleeing Advent Controlled cities. As well as a focal point for the training of recruits by the NYPD in weapon use. When the war was won, the NYPD returned to their formal role as law enforcement for the region becoming the example of fair and effective law enforcement for the planet, even to the point that the Global Council establish the Global Police Academy in the city.
The Philadelphia Blues: - fighters and painters
Leader: Jack Parish
Headquarters: Philadelphia Underground
Number of Cells/Camps: 14 Cells in their A.O, 12 Camps in their A.O
Number of Soldiers: two to three hundred - 14 fighters per cell
Weapons tech: Improvised Conventional weaponry and explosives
Ranks: Officers
-Commander - Overall Command
-Captain - Alternate Commands - Logistics, Ordnance, Intelligence, Propaganda, Communications
-Cell Leader
Despite Advents attempts at maintaining control, there were some locations that actively attempted to resist the idea of working with the Aliens. One was Philadelphia which at some point faced a large scale resistance group causing trouble.
At first they were small cells operating around the city however over time as the city became more and more Advent built, these cells began to work closer and closer together with various tunnels being constructed across the city. These tunnels often allowed the Resistance to move from one district to another without alerting Advent, but their true stronghold was in the outskirts which were the ruins of the suburbs and wrecked industrial districts left to rot after the invasion.
As their numbers grew with other cells joining the Phillies, they began to spread out further and further across the former state of Pennsylvania. Although they did often perform excursions into other areas, the state of Pennsylvania remained their focus as most of its members were former residents who knew the territory, towns and cities within. During many of their actions against Advent and the Aliens, the Philly blues would often leave behind their own propaganda being posters, paintings on walls and even flags draped over the wrecks of Advent vehicles and checkpoints.
When the war began, Philadelphia erupted into a full scale uprising within the Advent Controlled city, the Philly blues came out from the underground and lead the fighting and organised a command structure. Regiments, companies and platoons were formed base on the number of fighters each had, at first Advent tackled the uprising with extreme prejudice with gas being deployed to suppress the worst districts. When the Psionic network went down, the resistance and Philadelphia residents managed to completely drive Advent forces out of the city, with many of the Philadelphia militia regiments deploying to other regions along the west coast to aid in the battles there.
After the war, the Philadelphia blues stood down from a military role, becoming a temporary peace keeping force and was formally disbanded upon the creation of Philadelphia P.D.
The Shrike Network: - Focus of Advent City 31
Leader: Now confirmed as "Sovereign" real name unknown
Headquarters: City 31 skysrcaper (Seized under Reclamation Agency Warrant)
Number of Cells/Camps: Unknown number of Cells
Number of Soldiers: Few hundred
Weapons Tech: Conventional weaponry
According to the original intelligence gathered by XCOM intelligence during the initial occupation, war and post war years, the Shrike network was a loose coalition of different resistance cells operating both within and around Advent City 31.
Each cell was believed to have been a self contained organisation with their own rules, operations, numbers and capabilities. Some were more focused on the Propaganda front, others worked to sabotage industries whilst some were more active performing attacks on Advent personnel and facilities.
They were all willing to work with XCOM during the days of the resistance and occupation and eventually worked with other resistance forces during the war to take back Advent controlled cities. Sadly for them the post war years brought a great amount of change, at first City 31 hired Shrike cells to act as a temporary force to maintain law and order, but this changed when the Global Council released most aliens and Hybrids back into society and City 31 created 31PD.
Many believed that Shrike had begun to go into a downward spiral with the more radical cells retreating into alcoholism while the more moderate cells became private security forces for various businesses. However after the assassination of City 31s mayor, Reclamation agency via Chimera squad investigated various groups and discovered that Shrike actually had a leader who went by Sovereign. The radical element of Shrike had been backing various criminal groups to stretch 31PD and then seize power.
Chimera squad managed to prevent this with their leader Sovereign being successfully arrested and charge with terrorism. The less radical cells officially denounced Shrike and formed a new organisation known as "Shield" where they continue their private security business.
The 1st Continental Army: Fighters of the New United States
Leader: Multiple - Military -Tom Mason, Captain Dan Weaver, General Jim Porter, General Cole Bressler
- Civilian -Tom Mason, Arthur Manchester
Number of Cells/Camps: 13 Camps in their A.O - 22 Regiments in their A.O
Number of Soldiers: Roughly 3,000 - 135 fighters per regiment
Weapons Tech: Conventional Weaponry, Improvised explosives
Ranks: Military
-General - Overall command
-Colonel - Regional Command
-Major - Communal Command
-Captain - Regimental Command
-Lieutenant - Platoon Command
Formed from the combination of dozens of different militia units and regiments that had propt up post invasion, many of these units and regiments, these groups fought the Aliens and Advent across the east coast of North America, however being unbale to resist directly, they were forced to abandon their area of focus. At some point a group of resistance fighters found themselves in the ruins of Charleston south Carolina and chose to establish themselves within the city limits.
As with many locations along the east coast, Charleston became a resistance stronghold over the course of the Occupation and War. The city also became the central headquarters for XCOM forces in their area of operations during the war with Advent, here resistance forces were organised and co-ordinated for the fighting and the direction of engagements.
After the war, the 1st Continental army was reorganised into the 1st Global division with many of its soldiers remaining in service as blend between military service and law enforcement whilst others stood down and returned to civilian life.
The Irregulars: Mojave Desert
Leader: Denton Van Zan
Headquarters: Mobile
Number of Cells/Camps: 1 large mobile Cell
Number of soldiers: 322 soldiers
Weapons Tech: Conventional weaponry
Ranks:
-Colonel - Overall command
-Major - Squadron command
-Captain - platoon command
-Lieutenant - vehicle command
After the collapse of the governments of earth their military installations and bases were quickly overtaken by the Aliens and Advent, to ensure that any resistance groups not be able to get their hands of the weaponry within.
However one group known as the Irregulars, the surviving members of national guard, air force, navy, marines and army managed to salvage a great number of supplies, vehicles and weapons from some of their locations and formed their own resistance group.
Whilst they had an area of focus, mostly the region of Northern Mexico, Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas and Colorado the Irregulars would not stay in a singular location for more than a few days. Instead with their vehicles they would move from location to location causing trouble for Havoc where ever they went. This included the destruction of Advent outposts, checkpoints, facilities and even prisons, often with swift and decisive assaults with their armoured vehicles.
Over time they became a highly effective resistance force with Advent having to constantly replace or were the first Resistance group to work directly with them, this was before the Avenger was operation repair the sites they had destroyed or damaged. When XCOM came back into the fight, the Irregularsal, with the Irregulars providing a form of transport for XCOM personnel on mission and transport for supplies to the Avenger.
After the Avenger became operational, they continued to work with XCOM and during the war became the first Mobile battalion of the resistance taking part in various battles against Advent in the Southern United States, whilst also providing fire support and transport for civilian evacuations. When the war was won, some returned to civilian life but the majority remained with the Irregulars and continued to serve under the Global Council.
Z: Modern Robin Hoods
Leader: Diego De la Vega
Headquarters: Fox's Lair
Number of Camps/Cells: 9 cells in their A.O
Number of Soldiers: less than 50 - 5 per cell
Weapons tech: Non lethal only
Ranks: Officers:
-No discernible Ranks used by this group
The Z network of resistance, operated across the region of southern California, notably around Los Angeles with other cells reaching into Mexico. Unlike other resistance groups operating in the region, such as the N.C.R and the Irregulars, they were more focused on helping the less fortunate.
Founded by a local business man and friend of the local community in which he lived, Diego De La Vega saw how hard some were living along the outskirts of Advent as well as those living in the slum districts of the cities. Although he abhorred violence and did not wish to actively fight, he decided to help others, he founded a charitable organisation with the focus of helping the less fortunate. At first Advent was more than willing to help using it as another Propaganda tool, Advent providing aid to the less fortunate.
This didn't stop Diego however as he managed to smuggle himself out and found people, unarmed civilians living in makeshift shacks and tents. When he questioned why they would live like such they all replied they wanted to be free from the Aliens, this made them an enemy for Advent. So Diego took on the challenge of trying to help them, he created the persona of Zorro from the stories he was told as a child about his ancestor of the same name from the 1800s.
Whilst he wanted to help Diego refused to kill anyone or anything, focusing instead on the stealing and gifting of food and supplies. He recruited like minded individuals whom he knew could be trusted and organised them into various cells, their goal wouldn't be to fight the Aliens and their puppet Advent but instead to steal food, medicine and other essentials from Advent and give it to those who were less fortunate. At every location however they would leave the signature of their group the distinct capital Z marked or painted onto a wall or door.
Over the course of their time, its believed that they stole nearly a million tones of supplies from Advent and delivered it to civilian encampments and Advent Slums across Southern California and North west Mexico.
Diego and the Z would officially disband upon XCOMs victory over the Aliens, however Diego reinstituted his charity just afterwards focusing once again on the supporting of the less fortunate including after the release of certain hybrids and Aliens the same people who he had once "Fought" against.
Central and South America:
Much like North America, Central and South America had a scattered collection of resistance groups and cells, however due to the various environmental factors, these resistance cells were often spread out much further in certain sectors.
The Liberation Front: Freedom Fighters of the Old World
Leader: Marcella
Headquarters: Mobile
Number of Cells/Camps: 13 camps in their A.O
Number of Soldiers: roughly two hundred - roughly 15 per camp
Weapon tech: Conventional Weaponry, Improvised Weaponry and Explosives
Ranks:
-Commandant - Overall Command
-Major - Local regional leader
-Captain - Localised Cell Leader
Working from scattered camps hidden within the jungles and mountains of former Venezuela and Columbia, the Liberation Front had formed from a collective of political factions that had once argued over the vast oil supplies of the country. Venezuela had been hit hard by the Invasion, the Aliens recognised that humans were reliant to oil for their infrastructure and supply of heavy weapons and armaments. Thus the invasion was severely struck when the aliens sent in three large UFO vessels and bombarded both drilling sites and rigs as well as the refineries and cities reliant on the industry.
This only got worse when Advent declared that oil was no longer going to be the fuel for their future, the country had lost its only source of income, without any way of fuelling its economy, the new Venezuelan governance under Advent decided to make the country an example of the failings of the old.
The former slums were gentrified and turned into glimmering districts of Advent constructs of glass and metal. For many this was a good thing, as it meant that there would be jobs and health care with the gene clinics, but for some it meant being evicted and forced into labour camps where they would be forced to work on Advent industrial lines. This was the initial rallying cry for the Liberation Front, fight those who not only murdered us but also force us out of our home.
The group focused on small actions performing hit and run attacks along the few viable routes through the region of Northern South America where Advent convoys, patrols and trains would travel. However they had to be very selective with their attacks as many convoys and trains were heavily guarded especially those that were on route to what was learned to be Alien Black Sites.
When XCOM kickstarted the war, the Liberation Front moved into more conventional fighting, launching assaults alongside the "Arisen" people in the cities. With some assistance from XCOM and other resistance groups they were able to successfully take back the cities of Maracaibo, Caracas and Bogota.
After the war the the Front was requested to assist in the hunting down the remains of surviving Advent forces and Aliens that had managed to escape. When the task was done, the Liberation Front was formerly disbanded.
Skull and Bones: Criminals turned Freedom Fighters
Leader: El hombre de la niebla
Headquarters: Mexico City outskirts
Number of Cells/Camps: 10 Cells in their A.O
Number of Soldiers: 150 soldiers - 15 per Cell
Weapons Tech: Conventional Weaponry
Ranks:
-Boss - overall leadership
-Capo - Regional leader
-Lieutenant - Localised Cell leader
When Advent came into power, the former criminal elements of the world notably the drug Cartels of central and south America found it all the more harder to do business. When Advent began deploying more and more peacekeepers into the cities and regions that these cartels operated, it became an impossibility for these groups to do any business.
Eventually the Cartels were crippled with Advent Propaganda using the arrests of every Cartel head and "Capo" as an example of the successes of Advent doing what the governments of the world had failed to do for decades. After a while the former foot soldiers and Sicarios of the cartels found themselves out of work, but then an unknown individual known as the "Mist Man" for his ability to appear and disappear in a flash.
Gathered these former individuals and convinced a good number to come together for a new reason, instead of performing attacks on behalf of a boss for the sake of drug running. They instead would do it for the sake of resisting the Aliens and Advent across the region in the hope of freeing their families from the oppression of the Aliens.
The Skull and Bones as they became known became adept street fighters, performing strategic bombings of Advent facilities, checkpoints and defensive turrets as well as strategic assassination of Advent leaders. These included individuals of importance from political leaders, military officers, scientists and even the local Advent Governor.
Although their methods were somewhat uncalled for, the Skull and Bones were recognised by XCOM as less radical than other groups. To the point that the Skull and Bones were given intelligence reports and the identities of key personnel within Central Mexico including Mexico City especially in the build up to the attack on the Elders. During the war, the Skull and Bones performed similar actions as they had during the war, but instead of assassinating their targets. They were tasked with finding and capturing non Hybrid Advent leaders and officials and extract them into Resistance custody until such a time that they could be put on trial.
After the war, the Skull and Bones were given pardons for the crimes they committed before the war and many went on to join XCOM and the rest invited into the new Law Enforcement agencies for the region.
Guardia De Casa (Home Guard): Argentina
Leader: Anna Montoya
Headquarters: Rancho Libertad
Number of Cells/Camps: 9 Camps in their A.O, 12 Cells in their A.O
Number of Soldiers: two to three hundred - 25 per Cell
Weapons tech: Conventional Weaponry, improvised explosives
Ranks: Officers
-General - Overall command
-Major - Regional Command
-Captain - Cell Command
-Lieutenant - squad leader
Operating from a series of former cattle ranches across the country, the Guardia De Casa or the Home Guard were originally a state ordered militia as the nations military strength had somewhat waned over the course of many decades. To compensate its military during the initial incursions by the aliens, the Argentinian government called on its citizens to volunteer for a civil militia to resist the possible enemy coming from the stars.
When the governments faltered however, the Argentinian government requested and then ordered for all Guardia De Casa to stand down and surrender their arms. Of the 120 individual Guardia De Casa units that were called up, only 9 surrendered their arms to Advent, the rest rallied under the Montoya family who called on the Guardia to resist the Aliens and their puppets.
Originally they were lead by General Alexandro Montoya however after he was killed by Advent forces during a retaliation attack on their encampment 6 years after the invasion. The group was lead by his daughter Anna who reorganised the Guardia into various regional commands instead of one single force which could be more easily found. Due to the many ranches in the region, Advent turned Argentina into a agricultural region where various crops would be grown to support the cities across the world, as well as various industries where "Advent Meat" would be artificially produced.
These were the target of the Guardia, they would burn Agricultural facilities, "Meat" production plants, raid convoys and supply trains moving the supply to the more secure areas in the cities. When XCOM came onto the scene, Anna was more than willing to work with the more global resistance force being created by XCOM, they played a key part in Operation Rehearsal attacking and successfully destroying over 13 agricultural plants during the 24 hour period of the Operation.
When the war began again, the Guardia were once again brought back together and performed large scale engagements against Advent forces, seizing control of instead of destroying the farms producing food. These were then put back into operation by the group and were used to feed people across the world fleeing the Advent Controlled Cities.
Upon XCOMs victory, the Guardia De Casa were reorganised into a peacekeeping force for the region and when proper law enforcement was created by the Global Council. The Guardia returned to the lives they had left behind.
The Phoenix: Yucatan Peninsular
Leader: Jorge Aguilar
Headquarters: Tikal
Number of Cells/Camps: 13 Camps in their A.O
Number of "Guerrillas": Around 300 - around 23 per Camp
Weapons tech: Improvised Conventional Weaponry and Explosives
Ranks: Officers
-Commodore - overall command
-Captain - Camp command
-Lieutenant - Guerrilla party leader
Within the Jungles of Central America, were once the combined city states of the Maya Civilisation, these were soon buried beneath the Jungles before humanity rediscovered them. When the invasion came, some fled into these jungles and turned into local Guerrilla Parties that began to cause trouble for the Local Advent Garrisons along the coast.
Soon these groups came together and formed the Phoenix network lead by Jorge Aguilar from their main base of operations in the old Maya City of Tikal. Where the tall pyramids gave the Guerrillas a vantage point to spot incoming Advent transports as well as giving them a firing place for Rockets and even makeshift anti aircraft batteries.
When not here however they cells operate from various encampments across Central America, from the Yucatan peninsular down south to Costa Rica. Where using the jungles and swamps of the region to hide their movements, the limited number of Advent Cities within the region also helps to focus their targets. For although Advent had few cities they still had considerable facilities around the region. Mostly those focused on the production of certain materials that would then be transported onto other sectors for further production.
Despite Advents best efforts, the Phoenix cells caused constant damage to road and rail networks that connected North and South America thus Advent had to reinforce much of its defensive structures around these routes which favoured the resistance as it meant that less troops would be available to hunt them down.
When the war was kick started by XCOM these routes became a key target as well as the facilities where materials were being built. Since the war was going bad for Advent, the Administration required a greater amount of materials to support its war effort. Thus Phoenix were tasked with focusing their efforts on these production sites to greatly reduce the ability of Advent to supply its troops with armaments.
When the war finally came to end the Phoenix network stood down and returned to civilian life, they reopened the Tikal site to tourists once again with many members becoming its defacto protectors.
The Jungle Raiders: Amazon rainforest and Eastern South America
Leader: Vargas
Headquarters: Mobile
Number of Cells/Camps: 14 Camps in their A.O
Number of Soldiers: around 500 - around 28 per camp
Weapons tech: Improvised Conventional Weaponry and Explosives
Ranks: Officers
-Commandante - overall command
-Captain - Camp leader
-Guerrilla Captain - squad/platoon leader
Such Guerrilla movements became rife in the Amazon rainforest after the formation of Advent, most were people that had fled to the rainforests in an effort to escape the Aliens and the brutal actions being taken by their forces during the initial assault on the cities.
After a period of time however, these groups began to encounter Advent Forces attempting to forcibly move people into the cities centres that had been built by the Administration. Some chose to fight back and began to raid these Advent forces across the Amazon region of Brazil, this included the destruction of several patrols and refineries. At first Advent passed them off as small dissident bands causing trouble, but when these so called small bands formed together and managed to attack and destroy a key industrial site they could not be ignored anymore. It had become clear that these early attacks were to obtain weapons and munitions for this one raid.
From this point on Advent began to strengthen its hold in the region, their propaganda system claimed that the facility that had been destroyed was a site focused on the production of medicines and that the attack and destruction of the facility had hampered medical progress for the entire planet. When in truth it was a site focused on the manufacturing of Advent Security Mecs.
The successful attack however made the Jungle Raiders as they began to call themselves more confidant in their abilities even after they separated into the respective camps. Before each camp was an individual resistance group, but the attack had proved their effectiveness together, so they reorganised themselves and the man who lead the assault was chosen to be their overall commanding officer. Within a few months the Raiders had spread out from the Amazon region of Brazil and were soon working from Camps in Peru, Bolivia, Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana.
With their help XCOM was able to successfully destroy a critical facility focused on research for the Avatar Project and later aided them in Operation Rehearsal with several attacks on Advent bases, outposts and key infrastructure. They finally came out of the Jungles when the war began, joining resistance forces operating across Brazil, when the war was won, the Raiders were officially disbanded and returned to a relatively normal life.
The Radions: The Andes Mountains
Leader: Amaru
Headquarters: "Ground Zero"
Number of Cells/Camps: 9 camps confirmed in their A.O
Number of soldiers: around 300 - around 33 per camp
Weapons Tech: Improvised Conventional weaponry and Explosives
Ranks: Officers
-no discernible ranks
At some point during the Invasion, an Alien UFO was damaged by air force fighter craft and ended up crash landing in a region of the Andes Mountains. The saucer was transporting vast amounts of pure Elerium power cells and ores, when it crashed the Elerium was scattered and lead to the vast majority of the Mountain range being radioactive with it being dangerous to the very day.
For the people who lived in the area at the time, a level of hatred against the Aliens became apparent as farms, ranches and villages were forcible abandoned by Advent due to the threat of the Radiation. Some however refused and chose to live in the few scattered pockets of liveable ground across the mountains, these locations soon became the encampments of the Radions as they refer to themselves as such as they deem that they have survived Radioactive fallout and are no longer afraid of it.
Since their foundation, the group worked to resist Advent forces across the Andes Mountains using the safe havens across the mountains to establish their camps and places to hide supply caches.
Using modified equipment salvaged from military warehouses and tourist locations, the Radions managed to improvise protective clothing and masks that allowed them to move around the radioactive zones freely without risking breathing in dangerous particles. Since the Radioactive fallout was by Elerium, Advent and the Aliens were interested in salvaging the Elerium ores that had been scattered across the region.
So the Radion focused most of their efforts in targeting the extraction of the Elerium as well as the transports convoys and storage sites.
When XCOM won the war, the Radion retreated back into the mountains and cut off all contact with the outside world, ever since the victory no one has heard from the Radion, however their actions have become infamous. With Elerium smugglers and illegal salvages being found killed along the boundaries of the Andes, or people being reported missing after apparently being heard discussing the idea of illegally entering the region to gather Elerium.
Europe:
Just as in the case of the Americas, the region of Europe had an abundance of resistance groups operating with close proximity of each other and would often work together in certain regards. Although they would not actively become a single resistance network, this willingness to work together allowed them to combat Advent and the Aliens on a continent wide scale.
The Alpine Trackers: Skiing and fighting
Leader: Leo
Headquarters: Grindelwald
Number of Camps/Cells: 4 camps in their A.O, 4 cells in their A.O
Number of Soldiers: around 140 - 35 per camp
Weapons tech: Conventional Weaponry
Ranks: Officers
-7th Command - overall command
-6th command - Cell or Camp leader
-5th Command - mission lead
-4th Command - squad leader
Operating in small tactical groups that prefer to use well placed and embedded explosives, the Alpine Trackers were formed from hardened mountaineers and outdoorsmen, mostly skiing and mountain hiking. Due to their limited capabilities they instead use their placement of explosives to hamper Advent forces in the Alpes. Most of their equipment was taken from various resorts that were skiing and mountain climbing.
At first they would place explosive mines and improvised booby traps along the roads through the mountain passes. However this did little to hamper the Advent forces in the region whether they were active patrols or convoys transporting materials and supplies, the Advent and Aliens would simply clear the route and continue on.
So instead the Trackers instead focused on pushing their explosives into the sides of the mountains and valleys, the idea being to initiate an ambush through causing avalanches or rock slides onto the enemy before opening fire. This became a successfully method, as their combined knowledge of the terrain and the most likely places for such actions without placing a risk on themselves.
They would then salvage what they could before retreating into the mountains via routes they know and conceal or with the use of mountain climbing equipment and skiing equipment. To remain safe from Advent forces, they would use this method to scatter and escape before meeting back up at their camps in the more temperate forests in the lower valleys.
When the war began, the Trackers aided resistance forces across the Alpes by giving them assistance when moving from different locations across the mountains whilst also allowing their troops the use of their camps when it came to rest, resupply and care for the wounded.
After the War, the Alpine Trackers stood down and surrendered their weapons and turned into a recreational club.
Kriegsbringer: Military Experts
Leader: Wolfgang Koning
Headquarters: Weimar Germany
Number of Cells/Camps: 9 Camps in their A.O
Number of Soldiers: around 2,000 - around 200 per camp
Weapons tech: Conventional Weaponry, improvised explosives
Ranks: Officers
-Oberst - Overall command
-Oberstleutnant - Department Command - Logistics, Intelligence, Ordnance, Communications
-Hauptman - Camp leader
-Oberleutnant - Mission leader
When the governments collapsed under the weight of the Alien onslaught during the Invasion, their respective militaries fought on or at least attempted to. Germany was one such nation, as it was a member of the Council of Nations and as such a supporting country for XCOM. Its military forces had links to the XCOM special forces with its best troops volunteering or being drafted into XCOM over its time resisting the enemy.
After XCOM fell and the governments surrendered a number of Germany military units outright refused to heed the order and decided to continue fighting. These units worked together and consolidated into a single force near the city of Leipzig and solidified their position, however when the Aliens launched their attack they were utterly crippled, out of the 16,000 that had gathered less than thousand escaped.
Upon the orders of their overall commander Oberst Wolfgang Konig, they divided up into various cells and scattered across the country and even into other nations. Soon the cells were acting across Germany, Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and into Denmark, gathering support and recruits as they went.
Thanks to the military experience and discipline of the original cells, the soldiers of the Kriegsbringer are regarded as the most military like of all resistance groups. They have a proper uniform. infrastructure, organisation, system of command and control, logistics and supply construct, training regimen and even a written and circulated training manual. As the occupation dragged on they even created a system of awards based on merit and recommendations, such as the Medal of Valour, the Bronze, Silver and Gold Stars, the Cross of the Valour and the highest honour being the Iron Dagger.
During the course of their actions against Advent they worked a system of resistance they called "Blitzartig", meaning in a flash. The idea being they would appear cause as much damage as possible and then disappear again. The idea was to use their limited numbers and abilities to cause chaos for Advent forces across their area of operations without putting the civilians under their care at risk.
The Kriegsbringer eventually were recruited by XCOM into the global resistance network, whilst they already had been working with resistance groups elsewhere such as in Scandinavia and the Maquis of France and Italy. Their involvement allowed the expertise and discipline to be shared with more cells and encampments, meaning members of the Kriegsbringer were sent by their command to other groups to help in training new recruits.
Over time alongside the Kriegsbringer began work with other resistance groups across Europe, the Protectors, V, the Maquis, Stalkers, the Alpine Trackers and the Warsaw Compact with the creation of a political side of their efforts. Recognising that once the occupation was defeated the continent would require a government to replace Advent, the European Sector would become host a Federal system with each former nation electing representatives to a Unified Parliament that would serve as the local governing body.
To this effect the European sector became in essence a government in exile with the local resistance groups being its formal military. This government would have every aspect of organisation. It would have a chief of state, ministers for finance, industry, education, supply, state and war, whilst the military wing would also be constructed into a more official system. With a Commander in Chief, Sector Commands, Special Forces, Intelligence, Support Services and even ordinance and supply.
When the war began the Kriegsbringer linked up with various cells operating in the Advent controlled cities and thanks to their military infrastructure and organisation were of great help in pushing Advent out of Germany and Austria. After which Kriegs brigades as they became known were sent to reinforce resistance forces in other parts of Europe to help them in driving back Advent and the Aliens. They were credited in aiding the Maquis in the liberation of Paris when they broke through Alien forces and secured a vital route for Allied forces to punch through into the city.
With the victory the Kriegsbringer were incorporated in XCOM and the new Global Council, many went on to join the Reclamation Agency whereas other remained with XCOM to pass on their military service to the new recruits.
The Maquis: Renewal of the Cause
Leader: Camille Rose
Headquarters: Catacombs Paris
Number of Cells/Camps: 23 Camps in their A.O
Number of Soldiers: Around 4,000 - around 170 per camp
Weapons Tech: Conventional weaponry, improvised weaponry and explosives
Ranks: Officers
-Command - overall command
-Commandant Regional - Regional Commander
-Officier du Camp - Officer of the Camp
-Chef du Operations - Operations Chief
Taking their name from a resistance organisation from Earths 2nd world war, the Maquis are a network of resistance camps and cells across the countries of France, Belgium, Holland and Italy. The Maquis are loose in their connections a lesson they learned following a purge committed by Advent, where a Faceless alien was able to infiltrate the network and identified various locations and individuals.
After this catastrophe, the Maquis organised on a system they call the Pyramid, the idea being that if captured an individual does not have damning information of others except those beneath them in their section of the Pyramid, meaning capture a cell leader they can only endanger those in the cell and not others. This also means that each cell is slightly different in their plans and efforts, some Cells perform actions within the city centres focusing on intelligence gathering of Advent and Alien forces within their area, whereas other might perform efforts that include sabotaging facilities and gene therapy clinics or clandestinely planting explosives on key targets.
But of course there are those working in the wilderness actively fighting Advent and Aliens with ambushes, raids and bombings. Regardless though they all operate within the Pyramid which enables them to work co-operatively, a cell might identify a target but another Cell might have the greater ability to destroy it or vice versa.
When XCOM came back into the fight, the Maquis were the first European resistance group that they were able to make contact with, they were more than willing to work with the growing movement being built by XCOM. Not only because it gave them access to greater range of targets as XCOM forces were better able to perform actions that the Maquis were unwilling or incapable of carrying out. But also because it meant that the Maquis could work with others on a grander scale, for example if it wasn't for XCOM then they would not have learned from an American Resistance group. That Advent was transferring more Mec units to France, thus allowing the Maquis to respond.
Over time alongside the Maquis began work with other resistance groups across Europe, the Protectors, V, the Kriegsbringer, Stalkers, the Alpine Trackers and the Warsaw Compact with the creation of a political side of their efforts. Recognising that once the occupation was defeated the continent would require a government to replace Advent, the European Sector would become host a Federal system with each former nation electing representatives to a Unified Parliament that would serve as the local governing body.
To this effect the European sector became in essence a government in exile with the local resistance groups being its formal military. This government would have every aspect of organisation. It would have a chief of state, ministers for finance, industry, education, supply, state and war, whilst the military wing would also be constructed into a more official system. With a Commander in Chief, Sector Commands, Special Forces, Intelligence, Support Services and even ordinance and supply.
When XCOM ignited another war with the Aliens, the Maquis were restructured into a formal military alongside their neighbours in the Kriegsbringer. They were brought together into the Europa Sector Force, which fought for control of the rather obvious European Front. They did however have a hard time during the liberation of Paris, where they took heavy losses attempting to breach the Advent Perimeter around the city, they were reinforced with other Resistance forces and with them managed to break through.
After the war, the Maquis were disbanded with many returning to civilian life but some stayed on and began working for the new law enforcement institutes across the continent.
The Protectors: Iberian Defenders
Leader: Martin Garcia
Headquarters: Badajoz
Number of Cells/Camps: 10 Camps in A.O
Number of Soldiers: around 300 soldiers - 30 per camp
Weapons tech: Improvised Conventional weaponry and Explosives
Ranks: Officers
-Commandante - Overall command
-Officer - Camp Leader
-Sargento - Team leader
Scattered across the Iberian peninsular consisting of Spain and Portugal, there are the remnants of encampments of the resistance group known as the Protectors. A network of militias that were originally loosely connected to each but began to be more co-operative as time went on and Advent began to combat them more effectively.
Martin Garcia managed to bring the different Cells together into a singular network that would work as a singular organisation. Despite some troubles, the Protectors would eventually work as a single army of sorts, whereas they were limited on what they could target. As a new network of resistance their abilities grew rapidly, they were soon performing various actions against Advent from actively fighting Advent and Alien forces that entered the wilderness. Or launching mortar rounds against Advent Facilities and outposts.
There were occasions that they became rather extreme in their methods and more open with their targets. On one occasion a cell of the Protectors actively performed an incursion into Advent controlled Madrid and attacked a police station, the attack included many civilians being hurt or killed due to the explosive they planted during their retreat.
This marked them by Advent propaganda as radicals and dissidents hell bent on Anarchy across the region. But the bad publicity did make the Protectors question their position, they claimed to be protecting yet they had become murderers, soon after they changed their role and focused solely on military targets that did not have any nearby civilians, whilst helping people who wanted to flee Advent.
Over time alongside the Protectors began work with other resistance groups across Europe, the Maquis, V, the Kriegsbringer, Stalkers, the Alpine Trackers and the Warsaw Compact with the creation of a political side of their efforts. Recognising that once the occupation was defeated the continent would require a government to replace Advent, the European Sector would become host a Federal system with each former nation electing representatives to a Unified Parliament that would serve as the local governing body.
To this effect the European sector became in essence a government in exile with the local resistance groups being its formal military. This government would have every aspect of organisation. It would have a chief of state, ministers for finance, industry, education, supply, state and war, whilst the military wing would also be constructed into a more official system. With a Commander in Chief, Sector Commands, Special Forces, Intelligence, Support Services and even ordinance and supply.
When the war began the Protectors held true to this idea, escorting civilian refugees away from the front line and protecting refugee camps that had propped up after the truth had been revealed about what Advent had been doing to people. When the war was won, the Protectors officially signed over control to the Global Council and Disbanded.
The Stalkers: Bringers of Darkness
Leader: Igor Khymynuk
Headquarters: Pripyat
Number of Cells/Camps: 1 camp
Number of Soldiers: less than 180
Weapons tech: Improvised Conventional Weaponry and Explosives
Ranks: Officers
-Boss - Overall leadership
-Camp boss - leader of individual camp
Considered by XCOM to be experts in the sabotaging and destruction of Advent power stations and systems. The Stalkers operated from a hidden encampment in the long abandoned city of Pripyat Ukraine, not far from the still sealed Reactor number 4 of Chernobyl.
The Stalkers were focused on a singular goal and that was the destruction of Advent power systems across the whole of Europe and Western Russia. From their camp they would perform intelligence gathering and recon missions on Advent power stations, Hydro dams, Elerium reactors and power junction sites. Once they had collected enough information they would plan a mission to infiltrate the location in order to reach a point where they would plant explosives.
During the occupation, they were able to successfully infiltrate over 12 Advent Powers stations and sabotage or destroy key pieces of equipment inside thus lowering the output to the cities. 18 Power relay and Junction Sites which forced Advent to rely on back up power supply until the connection was re-established. And on one occasion they managed to utterly destroy a Hydro Electric dam that was supported by an Elerium reactor system, the result was a whole Advent City was suddenly without any power for nearly three weeks.
Their successes however were not always ones to be proud of, many of the attacks and actions they undertook lead to a loss of life they called considerable. The attack on the Dam for instance resulted in nearly three quarters of the attack force being killed, other missions and efforts they attempted were complete failures with many being captured and dozens more killed. Add on attacks by Advent into the Exclusion zone which the Stalkers resisted the Stalkers were highly restricted in their numbers and the amount of people willing to join them.
By the time XCOM made contact they were down to less than 180 fighters when they claimed they started with nearly a thousand. With XCOMs help however and the improved weaponry and explosives alongside the intelligence, the Stalkers were able to go to greater lengths and higher successes with less losses. By working with other Resistance Groups across Europe, they would cut the power to an area allowing another group to perform an different action such as a raid.
Over time alongside the Stalkers began work with other resistance groups across Europe, the Protectors, V, the Kriegsbringer, the Maquis, the Alpine Trackers and the Warsaw Compact with the creation of a political side of their efforts. Recognising that once the occupation was defeated the continent would require a government to replace Advent, the European Sector would become host a Federal system with each former nation electing representatives to a Unified Parliament that would serve as the local governing body.
To this effect the European sector became in essence a government in exile with the local resistance groups being its formal military. This government would have every aspect of organisation. It would have a chief of state, ministers for finance, industry, education, supply, state and war, whilst the military wing would also be constructed into a more official system. With a Commander in Chief, Sector Commands, Special Forces, Intelligence, Support Services and even ordinance and supply.
When the war was started the Stalkers amped up their efforts, branching out further afield into other regions such as Asia, Africa and the Middle East with Resistance forces giving them transport. As well as this they aided Resistance forces across the world by teaching them how best to target Advent power sources as well as the general idea of how they work so they could be reused by the resistance.
Upon XCOMs victory, the Stalkers disbanded officially although a majority chose to remain in their Pripyat camp where they continued to maintain and protect the Chernobyl site.
V: Guy Fawkes bombers
Leader: V
Headquarters: Shadow Gallery
Number of Cells/Camps: 7 Cells in their A.O
Number of Soldiers: around 119 members - 17 per Cell
Weapons tech: Improvised Conventional weaponry and Explosives
Ranks: no discernible ranks known
No one actually knows when the group known as the V network was established or how long it was around as no one has any real idea who its founder and leader is or was. The group made its official announcement on the 5th of November 2017 when they destroyed the Old Bailey in London alongside a number of other Advent controlled facilities and institutes across the British Isles.
This was countered however when the leader of the network known only as V managed to briefly gain control of the propaganda network in Britain. In a broadcast nation wide, remarked the various atrocities committed by the Aliens across the world, pointing out that Advent aided these efforts with entire settlements in the wilderness being wiped out by their soldiers. V demanded that Advent come forward and admit these crimes and called on any who opposed Advent and the Aliens join him in the fight against the oppressors.
This were followed with various small bombings across Britain and Ireland over the following years, all of them well planned and orchestrated. Despite Advents attempts to prevent the V network to plant them all efforts failed and made an embarrassment for Advent, so much so that their propaganda marked the V network as anarchists and terrorists only seeking chaos.
Over time Advent instituted a new wave of security protocols across Britain and Ireland, hundreds were arrested on even the smallest suspicion that they were connected to the V network.
Over time alongside the V network began work with other resistance groups across Europe, the Protectors, the Maquis, the Kriegsbringer, Stalkers, the Alpine Trackers and the Warsaw Compact with the creation of a political side of their efforts. Recognising that once the occupation was defeated the continent would require a government to replace Advent, the European Sector would become host a Federal system with each former nation electing representatives to a Unified Parliament that would serve as the local governing body.
To this effect the European sector became in essence a government in exile with the local resistance groups being its formal military. This government would have every aspect of organisation. It would have a chief of state, ministers for finance, industry, education, supply, state and war, whilst the military wing would also be constructed into a more official system. With a Commander in Chief, Sector Commands, Special Forces, Intelligence, Support Services and even ordinance and supply.
When XCOM revealed the truth, the enraged public rose up against Advent and the region descended into anarchy and chaos as Advent forces found it difficult to suppress the various riots and later uprisings against the Administration. It was here that V once again showed himself leading a full frontal assault with all the soldiers in the network against the Advent Media Tower in London.
Once in control, V called on people everywhere to rise up against the oppression and regain the freedom taken from them. Soon the British Isles became a mismatch of various areas of control, with Advent forces maintaining control over some cities or districts whilst the Resistance forces controlled others. The Fighting would only end with the retreat of the Elders and the Surrender of Advent.
The members of the V network returned to civilian life whilst the identity of its founder and leader remains a mystery, however a statue of V was presented to the world in a ceremony outside of Parliament in Parliament Square Garden.
The Warsaw Compact: Resistance Coalition
Leader: Commander Jackowicz
Headquarters: Leba
Number of Cells/Camps: 19 Camps in their A.O
Number of Soldiers: Around 600 - around 30 soldiers per camp
Weapons Tech: Improvised Conventional weaponry and Explosives
Ranks: Officers
-General - Command Council
-Commander - Operations Control
-Major - regional command
-Captain- Camp leadership
-Lieutenant - squad leader
After the Invasion, many people were initially sceptical of Advent and its so called progression, especially in parts of the world where various oppressors had come and gone through the ages.
This was clear in the regions of Eastern Europe, such as Poland and the Baltic nations of Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, Sweden and Finland. While a great many of people wanted to believe in Advent and the hope of a better life in the cities, a small portion didn't want to believe and chose to resist, these groups would come together over time to form the Warsaw Compact.
Although the name gives some idea of a sense of differential, the Warsaw Compact was a full fledged network that worked in close co-operation with each other. Despite various languages and nationalities it was relatively easy for the Compact to work together for a singular goal, the leadership as a whole was made up of Seven Generals who stood as the overall command of the network all major choices and operations were chosen and given the greenlight by them. There being Seven of them to ensure a clear majority during a deciding vote.
Whereas standard operations and missions were organised by the Operations Command, Commander Jackowicz formerly of the 1st Polish Armoured Division one of the few units to survive the invasion, relatively unscathed, the survivors of which would become the 1st Compact battalion.
The Warsaw Compact mostly operated in the Baltic regions hampering and harassing Advent forces in the region and attempting to curtail the construction of infrastructure and new facilities when possible. But since they were rather spread out, their greatest successes was the ambushing of Advent Convoys and the sabotaging of the transport train line.
Things changed with the arrival of XCOM, as now with the support of neighbouring groups and networks, the Compact began performing larger more successful attacks against Advent including the utter destruction of an Advent military outpost on the coast near Riga in Latvia.
Over time alongside the Warsaw Compact began work with other resistance groups across Europe, the Protectors, V, the Kriegsbringer, Stalkers, the Alpine Trackers and the Maquis with the creation of a political side of their efforts. Recognising that once the occupation was defeated the continent would require a government to replace Advent, the European Sector would become host a Federal system with each former nation electing representatives to a Unified Parliament that would serve as the local governing body.
To this effect the European sector became in essence a government in exile with the local resistance groups being its formal military. This government would have every aspect of organisation. It would have a chief of state, ministers for finance, industry, education, supply, state and war, whilst the military wing would also be constructed into a more official system. With a Commander in Chief, Sector Commands, Special Forces, Intelligence, Support Services and even ordinance and supply.
When the war began the Compact reorganised their forces into Battalions, Companies and platoons to better engage the enemy. With the 1st Compact Battalion launching an offensive into the heart of Warsaw, supported later by other forces, where they were able to fight Advent forces in the city from the inside out. Instead of attacking from the outskirts they came up through the sewers and attacked from inside the city.
The Compact officially disbanded after the establishment of new peacekeeping forces by the Global Council.
The Volga: Russian Partisans
Leader: Commander Alexey Zorin
Headquarters: The Camp
Number of Cells/Camps: 9 Camps in their A.O
Number of Soldiers: 350 - roughly 38 per camp
Weapons Tech: Conventional Weaponry, Improvised Explosives
Ranks: Officers
-Commander - Overall Command
-Officer - Second in Command
-Captain - Detachment leader
Many during the days of the Invasion remembered the days when much of Russia was under the iron boot of oppression of a foreign invader. After the Russian Government surrendered after the Aliens launched a brutal terror assault on Moscow leaving much of the city in ruins and most of its population either killed or forced into the Metro tunnels.
This didn't stop some however from refusing the surrender order, a great number of people rallied together and formed their own groups of Partisans in the wilderness to resist the occupation of the Aliens. When Advent came along with Russia being a formal member, a number of these groups decided that the Administration despite its flaws was a better alternative to living in the cold and damp of the wilderness.
Some however refused and continued the fight, over time a number of them were brought together under the leadership of Alexey Zorin formerly a young officer in the Russian Reserves before the Invasion. When the Aliens attacked he was called up to active service in the defence of the country alongside many hundreds of thousands of others. He and his unit were captured by the Aliens during the defence of Sevastopol in the Crimea and were taken to a internment camp near the city of Rostov-on-Don.
He and a few others managed to escape the camp, mostly fellow soldiers whom he had served with such as Nikolay Fetisov, they were helped by locals who lived in the wilderness notably an old man named Trofim and his son Sanek. Together they formed the Volga named after the river near their main encampment, they were a small resistance group that slowly grew as other similar groups joined forces with them, like Belozerova and her small band of insurgents, Valya and her collection of Nurses and doctors fleeing Advent, Morozov who had been causing trouble for Advent supply convoys and later Officer Nikitin who commanded a small militia in Novgorod.
Together they formed by far a truly sizeable resistance group numbering nearly 6,000 strong divided into various Detachments scattered across western and Central Russia into Siberia. The successes of the Volga were so prominent against Advent forces in Russia and Siberia, mostly through standard Guerrilla warfare tactics such as ambushes, raids, attacks, bombings and the destruction of infrastructure. That many in the Volga command structure deemed it possible to launch a conventional offensive and create Enclaves wholly under their control.
The idea was sound, as Advent forces in Russia had been stretched combating them and other resistance groups as well as maintaining order. Commander Zorin agreed and gathered a major force of Volga fighters to try and take the relatively small Advent controlled city of Volgograd. The Volga amassed a huge force consisting of some of their best and most capable soldiers, in total nearly half of the entire Volga force took part.
Sadly the assault was a disaster for them, of the 3,000 that launched the attack. Only around 950 managed to escape the slaughter, the Volga despite their ability were unable to breach the combined military strength of Advent and Alien forces, Zorin noted that they lacked the heavy firepower for such an attack and ordered a retreat after only 3 days of fighting. The subsequent purge that followed claimed the lives of many hundreds more, before the assault the Volga had around 6,000 able bodied soldiers across their various camps, after its failure and the purge and retaliation strikes committed by the Aliens and Advent they were left with only 350 at most.
It wouldn't be until XCOM made contact that the Volga were able to be a proper resistance force again, they had lost much of their fighting will alongside much of their equipment and best soldiers. With XCOMs help the Volga were able to improve their weapons and their abilities as well as their communications with other neighbouring resistance forces. Their dream of creating an Enclave free of Advents Control would not come to fruition until after the revealing of the truth by XCOM.
The Volga officially disbanded after the regions in which they operated established a new system of peacekeeping.
Africa and the Middle East:
Unlike other parts of the world the continent of Africa and by extension the Middle East found themselves with a great number of Resistance groups in relatively quick succession of the Invasion and Occupation by the Aliens. Most of these successive groups were easily put down by Advent Forces alongside Alien infiltration however some managed to keep fighting even the in the wake of retaliation by Advent.
Bedouin Raiders: Modern Warriors for Lawrence of Arabia
Leader: Alam
Headquarters: Mobile
Number of Cells/Camps: 18 Cells
Number of Soldier: 450 - 300 main force - 5 per cell
Weapons Tech: Conventional Weaponry
Ranks: No discernible command structure
In generations before hand the region of Arabia was noted for its various tribal communities and groups, this continued into the time of the Occupation by the Aliens. Some optimists saw the Advent Coalition and the Administration as a means of ending the endless violence between the different tribes as well as the constant brutality between Sunni and Shia Muslims.
But that did not stop others from choosing to fight even as the region was properly secured by Advent forces. Some of these groups were easily destroyed by the enemy, but one such group known as the Bedouin were different as they maintained a constant flow of movement they constantly moved around the Arabian Desert.
This was aided greatly by disillusioned military personnel from the different countries that the Bedouin began to operate in such as Saudi Arabia, Southern Iraq, Kuwait, Oman and Yemen. Soon they numbered in the few hundreds in different cells. Whilst the main force of 300 fighters would be on the constant move they maintained a series of small cells in cities for the sake of intelligence gathering.
The main force would never travel however during the day to avoid being detected by Advent forces, they would travel at night when it was cooler and the hope that Darkness would allow them some protection as well as the help of the stars to map their way. Before the dawn broke however they would stop and set up a camouflaged encampment and wait until the sun set once again. Most of their equipment was salvaged weapons and tools they had managed to scavenge from old military installations abandoned during the Invasion or taken from the bodies of Advent troops they had killed.
When they were brought into the new Global Resistance by XCOM they continued their work of harassing Advent logistics whilst also performing the task of transporting supplies and people from the coastline in Yemen and Oman that had come via ship from places such as India and East Africa. To other resistance groups further north. They became known to other resistance groups following their attack on a Advent supply depot in Tabuk where their raid ended in the destruction of 9 Advent Trains, 32 cargo rail cars, 14 armoured vehicles, 12 Advent turrets and the entire Advent force guarding it, according to some stories the site was burning for two days until Advent managed to quell the fire.
When the war began the Bedouin stepped up their attacks against supply and transport routes used by Advent to provide some support for Resistance forces fighting in the cities. Denying Advent forces supplies of reinforcements or more weapons to cities they were losing in. The Bedouin were disbanded after the war came to an end, though some stayed on to serve as members of the Global Councils peacekeeping initiatives.
The North African Front: Liberators of the Sahara
Leader: Farah
Headquarters: Remada
Number of Cells/Camps: 15 Camps in their A.O
Number of Soldiers: Roughly 1,500 - 150 per camp
Weapons Tech: Conventional weaponry
Ranks: Officers
-Commander - Overall Command
-Captain - Camp leader
The North African Front was founded by the collective gathering of over 82 different resistance groups and cells operating across the region from Mauritania in the west, Libya in the East, Tunisia to the North and Niger in the South. Lead by a woman named Farah the North African Front was organised by various encampments and detachments, these were spread out to diversify the ability and targets of the Front.
Further North where most of Advents Cities could be found, the Front focused on the harassing of Advent Checkpoints, manufacturing and supply depots. Mostly to keep Advent on the defensive and to keep the so called "Buckets" inside the cities, these raids were often supported by small attacks into the cities with the use of small airplane drones that carried explosives in them. The targets of these attacks were Advent prisons, police stations and military positions.
Further out however in the wilderness, Farah ordered the Front to harass Advent logistics and military outposts in the hope that such moves would restrict the movements of Advent Forces across the Sahara. Such hopes were small but gave the Front a goal to work towards when combating the enemy, they often found themselves at odds with Advent forces as the few civilian settlements in the Sahara not under Advent control were almost always around sources of water thus limiting the Fronts ability to hide and maintain a level of protection for its non military members.
To counter this again the Front used their collection of remote controlled drones to patrol the areas around their camps for any sign of Advent forces whether on the ground or in the air, thus giving them some early warning for an attack. Which added on with their various armaments granted them a level of protection, since they had in their possession various anti aircraft missiles and rocket launchers that gave them an edge when needed. However orders were clear from Farah that such weapons were to only be used for defensive purposes only as they were finite and the Front could not make more of them.
At least that was until XCOM came back onto the scene, by working with other resistance groups around Africa and the Middle East, the Front was able to access the munitions of other cells and groups that had no use for them. For example cells operating in the jungles were never able to use such weapons as they were never able to get a clear shot, whereas the Front could easily target an Advent gunship in the open.
With the outbreak of open warfare again across the planet, the Front refocused itself, Farah ordered all North African Front Forces to forgo any Advent forces in the Desert and focus instead on the Liberation of the Coastal Cities. The first city to be liberated by the Front was Tunis and was followed up by a successful assault on Algiers weeks later.
The Farah ordered the dissolution of the North African Front only after the proper establishment of the Global Council and its effectiveness as a government had been proven. Farah herself signed on with XCOM and years later would be chosen as the XCOM commander of local forces.
Hashashin: Modern Day Assassins
Leader: Hasan-I Sabbah
Headquarters: Alamut
Number of Cells/Camps: 9 Cells in their A.O
Number of Soldiers: 250 active members - around 25 per cell
Weapons Tech: Conventional weaponry, improvised Conventional Weaponry and Explosives
Ranks: Officers
-Master - overall command
-Bureau Leader - Local Cell leader
Similar in fashion to the group by the same name, the Hashashin or the assassins as they would become more recognised as by external groups, were a small but valiant force of resistance fighters operating across the nations of Isreal, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, northern Iraq and into Iran.
Founded by a former Persian intelligence operative named Hassan, who was a lover of history going so far as to take on the name of the original founder of the Hashashin Hassan-I-Sabbah, he organised a small group of fellow Intelligence operatives from different countries across the region to join him in the medieval ruins of Alamut Castle in Iran. There he laid out his plan to create a resistance force that would focus solely on high priority targets not just building being used by Advent but also high priority Advent induvial of import for the Coalition.
This lead to the creation of the Hashashin with the old fortress being their headquarters, but with various Bureaus or cells operating from Iran in the east to Israel in the west. Most of which were within the actual cities Advent Controlled and the members of the Hashashin would be sleeper agents working from the shadows appearing to be honest locals until they were needed. And when they were called forth to assassinate a target they would always make it known in some way.
Their first targets were local Advent leaders, both political and Military. They were able to successful assassinate the local Advent Governor for Persia in Tehran allegedly without the troops guarding him realising, they planted a bomb that killed a high ranking Advent General in Jerusalem and later planted bombs in the "Police" headquarters in Damascus.
At first Advent passed these attacks off as random Resistance efforts and played them as such in their propaganda, saying they were dissidents trying to cause trouble and honoured the sacrifice of the brave souls being murdered. But this was soon shown wrong when a member of the Hashashin was cornered by Advent forces in Gaza, after attempting gun down a key scientist the fighter turned the gun on himself shouting that the Hashashin are never taken alive. The swiftness in which he did this stunned onlookers who were shocked when they learned that the man was actually a woman and was non other than a well respected member of their community.
The rash of successful and unsuccessful assassinations and bombings across the region caught XCOMs eye and lead to the contacting of Hassan-I-Sabbah. Although uncertain XCOM had a greater level of intelligence gathering thus allowing for the identifying and locating of key individuals and targets that the Hashashin could target. Thus they willing joined the Global resistance, which enabled them the ability to go after more difficult targets that they could not before.
As XCOM ignited another war with the Elders, the Hashashin were ordered to target key military officers instead of political leadership as at the time Advents military arm was the most weakest especially after the fall of the Psionic network thus the loss of a general meant a crippling blow to local forces.
With Humanities victory, Hassan disbanded the Hashashin with many its members signing on with XCOM intelligence and others later joining the investigative branch of Reclamation Agency.
The Scarabs: Along the River Nile
Leader: Mahmoud
Headquarters: Siwa
Number of Camps/Cells: 12 Cells in A.O - 5 Camps
Number of Soldiers: around 1,200 total - 240 per Camp
Weapons tech: Conventional weaponry- improvised Explosives- salvaged XCOM tech - Mag weaponry
Ranks: Officers
-Commander - Overall command
-Colonel- Regional command
-Captain - Cell Leader
Survivors of XCOM from Europe and Africa, they were the among the few XCOM personnel to survive the invasion, the fall of XCOM bases around the world and the various purges of the resistance groups by Advent.
The founders of the Scarabs were these individuals, many of these survivors were volunteers of Project Mec, an initiative by XCOM to use the alien material known as Meld to create cybernetic super soldiers that would use large mechanical suits to combat the enemy. But the Project was unable to build the cyber suits or Mecs before the bases were destroyed by the Aliens. The Survivors fled north into Egypt where they established themselves as a resistance group known as the Scarabs after the insect as their plan was to "Pick the flesh from Advents bones".
Operating from an oasis in Western Egypt the Scarabs managed to organised and later recruit other resistance cells to their command which increased their numbers both in soldiers and also expanded their area of operations. To the point they no longer just performed actions in Egypt but also further down the Nile, into Sudan, South Sudan, Eritrea and Ethiopia.
Although tempting targets, the Scarabs refused to allow any actions against the water treatment and purification facilities that Advent operated. They wanted to free the people under Advents control not bring harm to them by destroying their source of fresh water, thus bringing harm to them whilst giving Advent a propaganda talking point. So instead they remained fixed to military targets, such as outposts, installations, research and engineering facilities alongside patrols, convoys etc. At some point however they began launching small raids against Advent facilities that focused on weapons production, not only to hamper the enemies capabilities but also to secure weapons for their cells. They were one of the only resistance groups to gain control of Advent weaponry and be able to use them.
They were willing recruits when they learned that XCOM had been reformed under its proper Commander, with the leadership pledging themselves once again to the cause. Under XCOM they began to share their knowledge as well as provide other cells their more technical weaponry such as gifting the North African Front Advent made Ground to Ground rockets.
As the truth was revealed, the Scarabs moved their soldiers into the cities to support the citizens already fighting there as well as to help evacuate any non combatants. They took heavy casualties during the battles of Cairo and Alexandria, but thanks to their help the resistance was able to wrestle control of these cities from Advent not long after the Psionic network was shut down.
With the war ending, the Scarabs asked permission to be formally brought back into XCOM properly, the Commander accepted and the Scarabs were restructured into the 2nd XCOM battalion and were tasked with aiding in maintaining the peace across the Nile Region.
Ama-Specters (Zulu for Spectres): South Africa
Leader: Londisizwe
Headquarters: Ikhaya
Number of Cells/Camps: 9 cells in their A.O
Number of Soldiers: around 350 - on average around 38 per cell
Weapons tech: Improvised Conventional weaponry
Ranks: Officers
Chief - Overall leader
Despite the arrival of the Aliens and the founding of Advent life for many people across southern Africa remained relatively the same. At least until Advent started sending out its peacekeeping forces to "Spread the Message" of the Elders, a mistake was made however and Advent forces opened fire on a Zulu village.
The survivors told others of what had happened and the Zulu peoples were enraged by the brutality that had been inflicted on them for no cause. Some decided to retreat further into the Bush to find a better place to live until the violence ended, but some rallied under a chief named Londisizwe who instead chose to fight back against their attackers.
Recognising their small numbers couldn't fight Advent directly, Londisizwe instead organised what he called "Impi Yethunzi" meaning Shadow War. Where instead of facing the enemy, the warriors of the Ama Specters as he dubbed them would only strike from the shadows, without warning, without alarm, cause as much damage as possible before returning to the shadows from whence they came.
For several months they learned and practiced the new style of warfare before beginning to actually fight. They attacked several locations over the course a single night, with many Advent checkpoints falling communications silent in a matter of hours. This was followed up by the detonating of explosives in Cape Town and Johannesburg, all the targets were militarized locations and police stations.
With this success, Lonidizwe had the Ama Specters divide into different cells so they could operate on a more open basis, so instead of the whole group attacking the same targets on a single night. The Group could operate across southern Africa, causing trouble wherever they were.
With XCOMs arrival into Africa, the Ama Specters joined in the forming of a global network as they were struggling by this point due to a lack of explosives which could be supplied to them by the resistance in other parts of the world who had no need of them. When the war began, the Ama Specters continued to fight from the shadows weakening Advent defensive locations and eliminating high valued targets so that the main resistance forces could launch successful attacks against positions and settlements.
With the announcement of victory over Advent and the fleeing of the Elders, the Ama Specters surrendered their arms and returned to their relatively peaceful lives among their people once again.
La Facade Rouge (The Red Front): West Africa
Leader: Kai
Headquarters: FreeTown
Number of Cells/Camps: 12 Camp in their A.O
Number of Soldiers: around 2,400 - 200 per camp
Weapons Tech: Conventional Weaponry - Improvised Explosives
Ranks: Officers
-General - Overall command
-Commander - Local command
-Captain - Cell command
Western Africa has never been a truly peaceful place even before the Invasion, political torment and instability plagued the region for decades under the governments of the old world.
This would not change upon the creation of Advent after the Aliens defeated the conventional militaries of the nations. These early militias were easily put down by Advent forces with very little difficulty or any real damage done to Advent, as most of these militias were unwilling to work together against a common enemy.
That changed 5 years into the occupation when a man named Kai, came onto the scene, he gathered a small militia force under his command and established a new settlement which he dubbed Freetown. Stating that the Free town on the coast was not a place that could call itself Free, since it was under the control of an oppressor. Kai managed to organise his small Militia into an effective force against Advent, launching small darting attacks against Advent forces across the region, their first targets were raids against Advent supply depots and transport convoys with the aim of increasing their stockpiles of explosives and materials.
These successes drew in more and more volunteers and even defections from the militias not aligned with his, finally after about two years the only militia fighting across Western Africa was his or at least operating under the Umbrella of the La Facade Rouge or the Red Front. As the marker of this resistance group was the colour red for blood, after seeing the colour of blood found in Advent forces, the blood red became a reminder of their humanity.
At one point the group was very nearly crippled after Advent launched an assault on Freetown, only Kai, a small number of fighters and civilians managed to escape the retaliatory assault on the settlement. But this did not faze him, he rechristened a new location as Freetown and continued the fight, with the name of Freetown not being a single location but wherever people could truly be free.
They were among the first Resistance Groups to be successfully contacted by XCOM operatives, with some difficulty La Facade Rouge agreed to work with XCOM in the common goal of overthrowing Advent and kicking the Aliens off earth, soon La Facade Rouge soldiers were found among other resistance groups such as the Hyenas helping them to learn how to use certain weapons more effectively.
When the time for open war came, La Facade Rouge under Kai gathered together and launched an all out assault on the former Capital of Sierra Leone Freetown. Wishing to properly make the City its own namesake. Upon the surrender of Advent and the victory over the Aliens, La Facade Rouge officially stood down as combatants and surrendered their arms and munitions. Some were worried that the old animosities between groups would rise again but this did not happen, the war had solidified the idea of humans first tribal second.
East African Hyenas: East Africa
Leader: Bakari
Headquarters: Tsavo
Number of Cells/Camps: 14 camps in their A.O
Number of Soldiers: Around 2,100 - 150 per camp
Weapons Tech: Improvised Conventional Weaponry
Ranks: Offices
-No discernible Ranks used by this group
The Initial founding of the East African Hyenas started with groups of young adults performing simple acts of defiance against the Aliens and Advent, mostly by performing acts of vandalism. They spray painted anti Advent slogans on walls, put up posters, tore down Advent propaganda posters and sabotaged the propaganda speakers.
They began throwing paint bombs at Advent troopers, Mecs and checkpoints while continuing their vandalism tactics but with an upgrade. Now when they did something like spray paint over propaganda they made sure their name was seen, when they sabotaged the Advent speaker phone poles, they made it so that the speakers repeated their counter propaganda. This was when the name the East African Hyenas came out, with the network only growing as time went on.
Eventually however Advent retaliated sending peacekeepers to arrest a supposed leader of the Hyenas, a woman named Bakari, believing she was the main leader of the network. Although they failed it lead to the first actual gun fight between the Hyenas and Advent. Bakari recognised that the rules had changed and called on the Hyenas everywhere to actively resist the enemy not only with slogans and vandalism but also with guns and bombs.
Over time the Hyenas only increased their attacks, with raids and attacks against Advent checkpoints in cities, Outposts and bases in the Bush, Supply convoys travelling across the region and so on. Although they primary operated out of hidden camps in the wilderness, they did operate "safe houses" in the cities so that when working inside the cities they could find shelter and relative safety in such places.
When they were contacted by XCOM they were willing recruits, wanting to do more damage against the enemy, they proved themselves willing fighters during Operation Rehearsal. With the outbreak of open war once again, the Hyenas abandoned their wilderness camps and re-established themselves in the cities turning their former safehouses into new bases to operate from.
After the war its members returned to normal lives, but held onto their Hyena tattoos and markers as badges of honour which are respected even now years after the war.
Asia:
As with other parts of the world Asia was noted for various militias and militant groups in the lead up to the Invasion of the Aliens. Many of these groups as well as hardcore believers of National pride refused to give up when the governments surrendered. These groups while similar in some respects often were at odds with one another over their willingness to fight certain battles or whether or not they were willing to do more than another group.
Mujahideen: Resurgent Insurgents
Leader: Ahmad Shad Massoud
Headquarters: Sangin
Number of Cells/Camps: 16 camps in their A.O
Number of Soldiers: 4,800 - 30 per camp
Ranks: Officers
-General - Overall Command
-Commander - Local Command
-Captain - Cell Command
By the time of the Invasion, Afghanistan had not known peace for many decades, the arrival of the Aliens and the founding of Advent did not change this. Many warlords across the region of Afghanistan, Pakistan into other countries as far north as Kazakhstan refused to recognise Advent as its new governance and chose to resist.
The early attempts of this resistance only managed to cause a nuisance for Advent during the early years after its conception and proper establishment. The best they did was cause damage to Advent convoys and supply stations, but they would lose whenever Advent went out looking for them in retaliation.
This made some think that the only way to resist was to survive rather than fight, but that did not fit the mind of Ahmad Shah Massoud who wanted to rebuild the old Mujahideen resistance group from Afghanistans past. His goal was to unify the various resistance elements operating across the region and create a single force that would perform actions greater than that were being attempted.
Over the course of years he would eventually convince the majority of militant groups and militias to come under the umbrella of the Mujahideen. Together the different camps began causing more and more trouble for Advent with their various military outposts and bases coming under regular attack by improvised missile and rocket attack, as well as the encountering of improvised explosive devices and landmines along their patrol routes.
Although hesitant at first on joining XCOM and the global resistance, the arguments made by the Commander made it clear that one or another XCOM was going to start an all out war with the Aliens and either way the Mujahideen would fight. Massoud agreed and together with XCOM personnel began working on larger and more detailed operations against the enemy whilst also teaching the Mujahideen soldiers how to improve their tactics against Advent forces.
Upon XCOMs victory many feared internal fighting would once again strike up in that part of the world, however Massoud managed to ease the various political factions into formally recognising the Global Council as a better alternative to the Advent predecessor. Many of the soldiers returned to their normal lives across the Region.
The Collective: Hidden Hacker Resistance
Leader: Unknown
Headquarters: Unknown
Number of Cells/Camps: Unknown
Number of Soldiers: Unknown
Weapons Tech: Advanced Hacking
Ranks: Officers
-no discernible ranks
There is little to no information on regards of the group known only as the Collective, there is not date on whether they were formed. No one knows who its leader was as every interaction with the groups leader was always via communication screens and the hooded individual was always silhouetted and their voice modified, the only thing known about them is that they were augmented with machine parts as its partially visible that they have at least one artificial arm.
What is known however is that the Collective was as its name suggests a collective of various expert hackers and drone users that performed technical acts of resistance against Advent and the Aliens. The members themselves never really held a gun ever always preferring to work from behind computer screens to fight the enemy.
Operating mostly across the Japanese islands, the Collective performed various hacks against Advent, they sabotage various industries that worked in Advents favour, even those that were for civilian use such as Gene Therapy Centres, Bars, markets, shops etc. The goal was to cause disturbances for Advent to chase allowing them to hack into more tempting targets such as Advents on servers and facilities. On several occasions they hacked the internal security systems of certain buildings and made it so that the system read all Advent troopers as hostiles, thus when the security mecs and turrets saw they opened fire.
The greatest hack ever for the group was the hacking of the region security network, they made it so that when someone walked through an Advent Checkpoint or passed under a security scanner they would be read as someone not on the system. Meaning as far as Advents system was concerned everyone in across Japan and into parts of Korea and China were not actual citizens, the damage caused to Advents image was insurmountable as hundreds of people were wrongfully imprisoned as well as this Advent had to shut down the system for several months to fix the problem.
Unlike other resistance groups across the world that were found by XCOM, the Collective instead found XCOM first and proposed a reliable alliance between them. The Collective would continue their hacking efforts against Advent, as long as XCOM aided them by planting viruses into Advent systems elsewhere across the world. In exchange the Collective would give intelligence taken from these systems to XCOM and other resistance groups across the world.
Upon XCOMs victory the Collective went silent with no one knowing whether or not it is still in operation.
The Ronin: Japan and Korea
Leader: Oishi Kuranosuke
Headquarters location: Edo
Number of Cells/Camps: 16 Cells across Japan and Korea
Number of Soldiers: 752 - 47 per Cell
Weapons Tech: Conventional weaponry - Scavenged Advent Technology
Ranks: Officers
-No discernible Ranks, All referred to each other as Ronin (Disgraced Samurai)
Whilst groups such as the Collective performed resistance in the form of technology and the active hacking of Advent systems. The Ronin preferred more active and clear forms of resistance similar to other resistance groups across the world, performing raids and ambushes against the enemy, attacking Advent facilities, setting explosives and destroying infrastructure needed by Advent and the Aliens.
The Foundation of the Ronin came from Oishi Kuranosuke formerly a colonel in the Japanese Defence Force and brother to a fallen XCOM officer, when Japan fell to the Aliens and joined the Advent Coalition Oishi felt disgraced at his failure to defend his nation and his people. He and many others came together to bid farewell to their country as they remembered it. At this same meeting they swore each other to revenge that the aliens would pay for occupying Japanese and later Korean soil.
To any who saw them, the members of the Ronin were respectable and candid individuals who lived peaceful lives among the Advent Cities. Oishi realising he was being watched, played the part of a broken man who fell into a partial depression after the loss of his beloved brother who was resigned to the sanctuary of working as a cook for a restaurant. All the while from the back room of that same restaurant which was owned by a trusted friend, he orchestrated the actions of the Ronin.
Across Japan and Korea throughout the Occupation the Ronin conducted deadly, precise, co-ordinated and well timed strikes against Advent. These included the assassination of several leading political and military persons, the bombing of Advent controlled facilities, sabotage within industrial plant and complexes, raids on supply points and so on.
When Oishi heard of the resurgence of XCOM he immediately made contact with an operative in the region and offered the support of the Ronin during any action in Japan or Korea. When he learned that the various mysterious electrical and system "errors" that had been commented and covered by Advent news services was due to another Resistance group "The Collective" he requested contact with them.
Together the two groups managed to form a solid cooperation, the Collective would hack systems allowing Ronin agents inside an area or cause a distraction. The Ronin would complete what they needed to do and scavenge what tech they could before detonating their explosives, which they would share with the Collective via dead-drops.
With XCOMs victory, the Ronin officially disbanded and surrendered their Arms to the Global Council, many of its former members including Oishi would volunteer for XCOM in its new form.
The Arc-Angels: 17 Second Life Expectancy
Leader: Lingyun
Headquarters: Sichuan
Number of Cells/Camps: 9 Camps
Number of Soldiers: around 1,000 - 120 per camp
Weapons Tech: Conventional Weaponry - Salvaged XCOM tech -Salvaged XCOM Laser weaponry
Ranks: Officers
-Shang Jiang - General - Overall Command
-Shang Xiao - Colonel - Departmental Command - Technology, Ordnance, intelligence, Communications
-Shao Xiao - Major - Camp leader
-Zhong Wei - Lieutenant - Assault team leader
The founders of the Arc-Angels are survivors of the XCOM forces that operated out of the XCOM base in China, when the base was discovered and overrun by the Aliens during the Invasion those that survived fled into the mountain regions of Central China and organised themselves into proper insurgent force.
After gathering their force and recruiting survivors of local Chinese military forces in the region, they raided the remains of the XCOM base and managed to salvage much of the technology and equipment from the base, including several old jet VTOLs, these were the precursors of the original sky ranger aircraft used by XCOM during the initial invasion. But were still used to transport supplies and support personnel during battles with the aliens.
Among the equipment they had salvaged were wing suits and jet powered flite suits, as the equipment was still in operational order. Their leader Lingyun decided to use the flite and wing suits along with the VTOLs as part of their primary means of attacking the enemy. Their soldiers using the VTOLs would fly up at altitude a reasonable distance from the target, then the soldiers would freefall before using their suits to glide/fly into the target area catching the enemy off guard.
The first attempt at which was successful as the Arc-Angels managed to catch an Advent supply outpost of guard with the plan. Landing in the heart of the facility without being detected they launched their attack from the inside and managed to defeat the enemy before they could activate the alarm. With this success the Arc-Angels chose to use the tactic again and again not only from VTOLs but from high points in the mountains.
Their successes in such attacks lead to Advent advancing their Automated Turret systems to combat the Arc-Angel attacks, this lead to the Arc-Angels taking on a new motto of "17 seconds" meaning their life expectancy between their jump and their landing. So between them jumping from their mountainous high point or from the VTOL and safely landing into combat, if they were going to die it would be within 17 seconds.
Upon being contacted by XCOM the Arc-Angels were reinvigorated as they learned of the successful rescue of their real Commander, with Lingyun gladly handing over direct authority of the Arc-Angels to the XCOM Commander. Although grateful the Commander gave operational command of the group back to Lingyun, with the group being reinforced by willing volunteers from XCOM recruits across the region.
When the war began, XCOM ordered the Arc-Angels to assist resistance forces fighting across the region with both ground and air support. But the main force of the Arc-Angels under Lingyun himself were tasked to support the assault on Bejiing, whilst another force the Chinese Dragons lead the ground attack, the Arc-Angels would perform an airborne offensive into the city.
With the victory, the Arc-Angels once again came under XCOM authority being renamed the 1st XCOM airborne battalion.
Temple Guard: Fighters in the Ruins
Leader: Binh Duong
Headquarters: Angkor Wat
Number of Cells/Camps: roughly 30 camps in their A.O
Number of Soldiers: Around 4,500 - average of 150 per camp
Weapons tech: Conventional Weaponry
Ranks: Officers
-Dai Turong (General) - Overall Command
-Thieu Turong (Flag Officer) - Regional Command
-Dai Uy (Junior Officer) - Camp Leadership
The primary resistance force of south east asia, consisting of the countries of Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar, Laos and Thailand. With various jungle environments to conceal themselves within the Temple Guard received their name by the civilians that came under their protection, as the largest of their camps were within the various ancient temples and structures built centuries and thousands of years before.
Even their primary headquarters was within one such location being in the temple ruins of Angkor Wat. The majority of the original founders of the Temple Guard were made up of former soldiers and survivors of the invasion, who fled to these locations in search of relative shelter and safety. Once the initial shock of the invasion wore off they rallied and formed a resistance force which slowly unified as the years went on.
With limited capabilities the Temple Guard focused mostly on the harassment of Advent forces and supply convoys across the region as well as the occasional raid on Advent or Alien controlled facilities along the outskirts of the Cities. When performing such actions they favoured stealth over power, using the environment to conceal themselves to either sneak in as close as possible to the enemy or to wait for the right moment to strike.
After the War the Temple Guard officially disbanded with its members wishing to return to a normal life.
The Chinese Dragons: the Heirs of China
Headquarters: Da Linuo'er
Number of Cells/Camps: 16 Camps in their A.O - 12 main cells
Number of Soldiers: roughly 4,800 - average 300 per camp
Weapons Tech: Conventional Weaponry
Ranks: Officers
-Shang Jiang (General) - Overall Command
-Zhong Jiang (lieutenant General) - Secondary Command - Intelligence, Communications, Technology, Ordnance and Supply, Support Services
-Da Xiao (Senior Colonel) - Local Command
-Shao Xiao (Major) - Camp Leader
-Shang Wei (Captain) - Cell Command
Before the Invasion, the Peoples Republic of China had by far the largest standing army in the history of Planet Earth. Sadly this did not save them from the aliens wrath during the Invasion, just as in the case of nearly every other power on Earth the bases for their Army, Airforce and Navy were attacked ruthlessly, very few managed to survive and those that did were hunted down by Advent forces not long after.
But the spirit of fighting back didn't die with them, in the following years the children of the fallen took up their parents mantel and began a resistance of their own. Dubbing themselves the Dragons, they worked under the same military structure of their predecessors with proper ranks, training regimens and a disciplined fighting force.
From their encampments across Northern China, notably around Bejiing the Dragons conducted various attacks against Advent even going so far as to launch raids into the cities themselves where they would leave at the site of their attacks. Spray painted onto the walls or streets of the location a golden dragon to symbolise their efforts.
Their early victories managed to convey an element of defiance in the actions of the other local smaller resistance groups and cells in the region. To the point that these unaligned groups chose to join the Dragons to better resist the enemy across the region, this increased their numbers dramatically from a few hundred to a few thousand. Enabling them greater attacks against Advent forces, but this didn't meant they were always on the offensive, since there were few hiding places in their area of operations.
The Dragons often found it common to find their camps under Advent and Alien attack, with many having to be abandoned outright due to the knowledge that the Dragons wouldn't be able to repel the attack. This changed with XCOMs immergence, whenever Advent launched a retaliation against Resistance forces in the region, XCOM would often send troops to aid in the defence of the safe haven. Thus the Dragons were no longer having to constantly be on the look out for a quick retreat.
As the war to reclaim Earth began, the Dragons switched to conventional fighting, with their discipline and training they were selected by XCOM command to lead the ground assault on Bejiing, supported by the Arc-Angels in the sky. Despite heavy fighting inside the city, the Dragons managed to break through and capture the city after several days of building to building urban warfare.
The Dragons became a legitimate peacekeeping force after the Surrender of Advent, assisting XCOM in the maintaining of peace and order through Northern China and into Mongolia. They continue this task today even after the creation of the Global Council and the establishment of proper law enforcement.
The Insurrectionists: Tech Savvy Insurgents
Leader: Maya Visari - Callsign Echo
Headquarters Location: Hong Kong
Number of Cells/Camps: 20 Cells in A.O
Number of Soldiers: Around 2,300 - around 115 per cell
Weapons Tech: Conventional Weaponry - Improvised Magnetic Weaponry
Ranks: Officers
-No Discernible Ranks known
The group known as the Insurrectionists was a loose collection of co-operative insurgent groups that operated across south east china and notably Hong Kong. They used various pieces of equipment that they had stolen from Advent and managed to augment the tech to their advantage much of it was prototypes for specialised units that Advent intended to use against insurgent groups across the world but ended up shelving.
The Insurrectionists raided these locations and stole the tech to use for their own benefit, the tech included limited optical camouflage which allowed the wearer of the suit temporary invisibility whilst moving slowly for short periods of time. Code name spectral masks that granted the user to see in different spectrums of light, including Infrared (Seeing heat) and even electrical routing (see the location of large amounts of electricity moving). Specialised nanotech grapple hooks and lines allowing a user to traverse up to high points with little effort, whilst similar to the Grapples used by the Skirmishers, these were more powerful and allowed greater speed and distance, a user could literally grapple from one side a street to the other with little effort.
Despite showing Promise, Advent decided against these prototypes as they had up until the resurgence of XCOM, managed to maintain a firm grip on Resistance Activities, they didn't need infiltration or optical camouflage as they had the Faceless who could infiltrate resistance safe havens with ease. They did not see a need for things such as Spectral masks as they looked at the resistance as greatly inferior, nor did the idea of a grapple be believed necessary as Advent had transports and gunships so why did they need a grapple to cross streets they had firm control over.
But for the insurrectionists these tools gave them the edge they required to survive within the depths of Advent controlled Hong Kong and eventually into cities across South Eastern China. The various tools they stole could even be replicated with a group of sympathetic engineers who used their expertise to not only reverse engineer them but replicate them on a larger scale. With these tools the Insurrectionist leader Maya Visari call sign Echo managed to become one of the most wanted resistance fighters in the Far East. With XCOMs help the insurrectionists were able to even improve on the Advent designs, allowing certain pieces to work much better, thus allowing them to do more against Advent.
After the war the Insurrectionists laid down their arms and attempted to return to civilian life, callsign Echo however signed on with XCOM and worked her way up the ranks rather quickly.
Twin Blades: India
Leader: Sabal - Amita - Dual Leadership
Headquarters: Banapur
Number of Cells/Camps: 18 Camps in their A.O
Number of Soldiers: roughly 3000 - average 165 per camp
Weapons Tech: Conventional weaponry - Improvised Weaponry and Explosives
Ranks: Officers
-No discernible Ranks used
Founded by a former officer in the Gurkas, Mohan Ghale. The Twin Blades were originally a collection of surviving soldiers from across the Indian subcontinent that had managed to survive the purges by the Aliens and later by Advent. They performed constant guerrilla attacks against Advent forces, whether it be patrols, convoys and isolated outposts, at some point Mohan took the twin blades and attacked a small Advent base in the foothills of the Himalayas.
However it turned out to be a trap with Mohan and the majority of the force he took being killed in the fighting, very few managed to escape among them however were those that would continue to lead the Twin Blades for the remainder of the future. Together Sabal and Amita agreed to share the leadership role of the Twin Blades going forward in continued resistance against Advent, despite this there were various arguments between the two on how best to fight.
Sabal was in favour of building forces and gaining support of the people so they can perform greater strikes. Amita however was more in favour of intelligence constantly reminding that Mohan had a strong force but lacked actionable intelligence that lead him into a trap. As said despite these arguments the two managed to work together on a uneasy balance, alone they could not continue going forward but together they could do more.
Amita worked the intelligence network she painstakingly built up to gather as much information on Advent and the Aliens, where they were strong, where they were weak and where best to strike. Whilst Sabal would lead the actual fighters and maintain the defence of their safe havens so that the civilians across the region who had fled Advent could remain safe. Over time this co-operative leadership payed off as the Twin blades grew in size and strength of numbers, soon they were operating across the Indian Sub continent. But they were never more than a nuisance for Advent forces in the region as the Twin Blades lacked the weaponry specifically heavy weaponry needed to cause extensive damage to the enemy.
This changed with XCOM, who provided some heavy weapons in the form of grenade launchers, rocket launchers and even mortars to the group. With these weapons and the support of XCOM training and advisors the group soon started doing more and more damage to Advent forces.
When the war began anew, the Twin Blades across the Indian sub continent began moving on Advent city centres to support resistance forces inside the cities in fighting the scattered Advent and Alien forces. Despite taking many losses in these battles in just a few months most of northern India had been liberated by the Resistance, Advent and the Aliens were soon retreating to the south with Resistance forces especially the Twin Blades hot on their heels.
After Advents surrender, the Twin Blades formally surrendered their arms and disbanded, Sabal and Amita stayed on however, with Sabal joining the Global Council peacekeeping and later law enforcement for India and Amita signing on with XCOM intelligence.
Oceania:
The Aqua maniacs: Ocean going raiders
Leader:
Headquarters: Mobile
Number of Cells/Camps: Unknown
Number of Soldiers: roughly 500
Weapons tech: Conventional Weaponry - improvised weaponry and Explosives
Ranks: Officers
-No discernible ranks used
Formerly smugglers, pirates and coast guardsmen, the Aquamaniacs are one of the few resistance groups that perform actions against Advent and the Aliens that focus on the use of river and ocean going craft. These usually included simple fishing boats that they had salvaged from their previous work, old landing craft from the world previous global conflicts to a small freighter which served as their headquarters.
However this was the only advantage they had over the Advent forces across the region, the Aquamaniacs lacked a reliable form of weaponry to use, with most of them using whatever they could scrape together from various sources. Some were even using weapons from the second world war and others having only molotov cocktails to throw due to the lack of guns to use.
By the time XCOM was able to make contact and gain their support, the Aquamaniacs gained access to a more reliable source for weapons instead of haphazardly constructed weapons and tools, they could begin to use actual weapons that despite simplicity were more reliable than those they had been using to date. With these new weapons they began performing more and more actions against the enemy, including the destruction of Advents prized rail bridge that crossed from Singapore across to Borneo.
After the war they were recruited by the Global Council to ferry supplies and equipment between the various Islands to aid with reconstruction and later the group became a shipping company transporting goods by boat anywhere in the region.
Australian Dingo's: Eastern Australia Australia - Crocodile Dundee Warriors
Leader: Michael "Mick" Dundee
Headquarters: Archer River -North Queensland
Number of Cells/Camps: 16 Camps in their A.O
Number of Soldiers: around 2,400 - 150 per camp
Weapons Tech: Conventional Weaponry - Improvised Explosives
Ranks: Officers
-Field Marshall - Overall Command
-Lieutenant General - Logistics, Ordinance and Supply, Intelligence, Support Services
-Brigadier - Local Command
-Colonel - Camp Command - 5 companies
-Captain - Company Command - 30 Men per company - 3 platoons
-Lieutenant - Platoon leader - 10 men per platoon
Frontiersmen, trackers, Rangers and police officers from across the Australian Coasts, the Dingoes were a rag tagged collection of resistance fighters that would over several months work to consolidate their numbers and their organisation. Choosing a single leader to act as a field marshal they chose a hardened frontiersmen who had worked across the wilderness regions of Australia most of his life.
Their main focus of attention was along the coastlines of the continent, notably the east coast of Queensland down towards New South Wales and across the southern coast to Adelaide with a few camps around the port of Darwin and Perth. They followed the same ideas however with Advent when it came to the matter of the Interior of the Continent which had been rechristened as the Badlands region. Whilst some would think an area that Advent firmly avoided to be a good location for Resistance fighters to find shelter.
The Dingoes tried to ensure that like Advent no one entered the Badlands else they run afoul of the Marauders. So they clung to the Coast, eventually working with XCOM to perform more of an effort against Advent to the point that Advent actually gave up trying to expand into the wilderness of certain regions. This was heightened with the outbreak of warfare, with the Dingoes launching attacks against the city centres across the coastline stretching Advent Forces thin across the continent. Eventually Advent pulled out of Australia all together.
Despite their departure however, the Dingoes did still have to deal with some alien remnants notably a hive of Chrysalids living in the mountains. XCOM had to send support with EXVENT sending purifiers to help clear them out.
After the war the Dingoes stood down as a military force and instead shifted to help maintain the peace with its members returning to the role of law enforcement after the reconstruction efforts succeeded. Now the majority maintain a close watch from ranger stations bordering the Badlands.
The Marauders: Mystery Warriors of the Badlands
Leader: Unknown
Headquarters: Unknown
Number of Cells/Camps: Unknown
Number of Soldiers: Unknown
Weapons tech: Improvised weaponry
Ranks: Officers
-Unknown
Whilst some see the Reapers as Survivalists and extreme, nothing can be compared to the savagery and brutality of the group known only as the Marauders.
No one knows when the group began, the primary theory was during the initial invasion when people were more concerned with running for their lives and abandoning the cities. Some in Australia fled deep into the interior hoping to get away from the Aliens and find a place to be safe, many died from exposure to the elements and other from dehydration and heatstroke.
When Advent came onto the scene, they attempted to entice these people to come back from the wilderness and re-join society with the goal of bringing more people into the cities they had a firm control over. Many answered this effort and entered the cities once again and began to live the lie that Advent spewed to the public, however some refused and would become a group of savage raiders and survivalists living within the region now designated as the Badlands.
And with good reason, the Marauders as they became known to the Public fiercely defended the Badlands from any intruder, whether they were Advent, Human or Aliens, it mattered little to them. Whilst not much is known of the Marauders as the culture they have established for themselves in the Badlands, some is known of their fierce nature when it comes to aggression.
The Marauders are scavengers and salvagers when it comes to weapons, Advent managed to capture some Marauder weapons and it was clear that nearly all of their weapons were either scavenged from hardware stores, gun shops while others were constructed from metals that they had scavenged from abandoned farms and Advent outposts they had raided. Some of these weapons were of basic design and were more like weapons for a post nuclear war era, they use makeshift spears, axes, halberd like weapons and makeshift fire arms.
Even their clothing is scavenged with pieces of different cloth and materials being knotted and weaved together to make clothing. With even pieces of metal sheeting being used as a basic form of body armour, alongside makeshift masks and helmets designed to instil fear and terror in their enemies.
To date the Marauders have not accepted any contact from XCOM and later the Global Council, every attempt has been met with violence or silence. At some point a local resistance camp admitted that they were largely left alone by the Marauders by leaving gifts, mostly pieces of Advent tech they couldn't use themselves or bits of scrap metal. Ever since a team of XCOM operatives and Global Council Representatives have attempted to open a dialogue with the Marauders using this path.
They enter the Badlands, announce themselves via a loudspeaker, leave the Marauders their "Gift" mostly pieces of metal, clothing and food and then leave. The hope is that after a while the Marauders may be willing to come forward and talk. Five years after the end of the war however, three years of working this plan, the Marauders have yet to show themselves in person once, with only silhouettes being seen on the horizon.
The Badlands:
One can always tell when entering the Badlands, as the Marauders have a habit of putting up warnings and signs of their domination over the region. These include pieces of decayed cloth marked with a bloody hand print, others are haphazard sculptures made from pieces of metal to resemble skulls and skeletons as well as the act of hanging bodies from some of their larger sculptures. The Marauders always like to ensure that anyone and everyone knows what happens when they enter their "lands".
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