I am planning on writing a short three-part story about a characters experiences during the closing stages of the Canton Conflict (2169)
In our lore it is stated that in 2165 the USCM launched an operation against colonial secessionists. It lasted 5 years, was basically space nam, Canton got turned into a parking lot and it ended in a ceasefire between the UA and UPP (?)
I want to know more details about Operation Canton and I have some questions to ask.
Was Canton part of the Sol Campaign?
The colonists wanted to join the UPP, what was their involvement in the conflict that it led to UA signing a ceasefire with the UPP instead of the colonists?
If you have any source lore materiał about the Canton Conflict, please send it to me.
"The UPP saw massive success in the Sol Campaign, with both of its rivals heavily wounded and in economic recovery. This sprouted the idea of espionage and fanning flames of rebellion, in places where its rival militaries could not reach quickly. Eventually it became the covert doctrine of the nation’s military strategies. Canton was their next operation, with the overthrowing of the colonial government in a coup d’état, aligning the Canton world with the UPP. However, the communist military did not expect a fierce war, that would drag out for decades, by the now heavily funded USCM. The two militaries were engaged in conflict for nearly five years for the planet, resulting in the planet’s devastation and heavy losses to both sides. The end result saw the usage of nuclear weaponry and the withdrawal of both sides. The UPP began to re-evaluate its strategies, as they did not anticipate a rival force being able to respond as quickly, as the USCM did, so far from Sol.
The year is 2182, instead of involving themselves directly, like with the disaster at Canton, where they underestimated the fighting patriotic spirit of the USCM."
I also suggest checking out lore on the Tientsin Colony / Tientsin War if you have your hands on the official Alien RPG books - it is, from what I understood, the official version of our Canton conflict.
There is not much on it from what I understood, but here is an interesting tidbit you might want to include in your short story: after nuclear strikes decimated the Tientsin Colony, Weyland-Yutani tried to swoop in with a humanitarian aid by offering atmospheric processors. This happened a couple of years after the catastrophe and they only offered some older, hand-me-down models… Not surprisingly - or maybe surprisingly? -, the Tientsin government refused it, even though all they had was a paradise turned wasteland and a bunch of traumatised colonists.
Big-scale wars in Alien are never glorious because national identities are no longer a widespread thing (unless you are a fanatic soldier of your side’s). If you write the story from the point of view of someone not indoctrinated on their side, I think it is interesting to include how truly futile these conflicts are from the colonists’ POV.
Although I am relatively new to story writing and my works are still scarce, I am always trying to portray an anti-war motive. I’ll make sure to include how destructive the war was, as to leave Canton in ruin.
P.S.
I keep spending all my money on crack so I don’t think I’ll be able to acquire the Alien RPG books.