Rise of the Reds Christmas update 2023 news

Once again, we are coming to you after a period of extended silence since our not at all ironic April Fools update earlier this year. Rest assured however that silence does not mean standstill, for we have spent these past months making steady progress towards the completion of Rise of the Reds Version 1.9. Many new in-game assets, as well as countless design changes both subtle and dramatic, and numerous fixes based on tester feedback have made it into the new version, some of which we would like to showcase to you now.

The devastating GLA attacks on China changed the People's Republic, its leadership and society. Whilst the material damage of the nuclear attack in downtown Beijing was quickly mended, the flood damage caused by the destruction of Three Gorges Dam is still being repaired two decades later - to say nothing of the sheer human loss. After the war, many high-tech weapons developments for the People's Liberation Army were de-prioritised to concentrate the nation's resources on reconstruction.

Another consequence of the war was the enormous swelling of the PLA from just under 2.2 million active personnel to over 6.6 million to this day. Chinese military planners reckoned that an army that size cannot be consistently equipped with modern weapons, for the foreseeable future. On top of that, experience during the war had shown that high-tech systems, with their dependence on sensitive electronics, satellite guidance and networking, proved extremely vulnerable under battlefield conditions involving aggressive use of electronic warfare and nuclear weapons.

Rugged, inexpensive hardware, particularly in aviation, became the focus of a new doctrine centred around cost-saving and counter-insurgency. This led to China acquiring large stocks of older aircraft from other countries throughout the world. One such aircraft was the MiG-23. Developed as a fighter-bomber for the Soviet Air Force, the "Flogger", as it is unflatteringly known in the West, holds the record of being the most produced sweep wing aircraft in history with just over 5.000. Although quickly phased out after the end of the Cold War, countries such as Syria, Ethiopia, Angola and Cuba continued to use the aircraft well into the 21st century. The Chinese government accepted the "MiG Bomber" and other aircraft as partial payment in trade and debt reduction, and following thorough refurbishment, introduced it to the PLA Air Force which would use it to deliver incendiary strikes in low-intensity conflicts.

The story of the Warden Drone is one of the rare quintessential American success stories to emerge during the post-war depression of the early 2030s. Three US Army veterans, bound by friendship from years of service during the War on Terror, started their own tech company. Their mission statement was to develop low-cost unmanned weapon systems informed by their own combat experience. With a risky investment of their personal fortunes and aggressive crowdfunding on an international scale, they developed the Wu Alvarez Renshaw Directed Energy Neutraliser, or WARDEN for short.

The Warden is a laser-armed air defence system, specially designed to counter light aviation threats like UAVs, helicopters and even low-flying aircraft. It is a weapon born of painful experience when US forces had been surprised many times by GLA-operated aircraft and commercial drones during the war. In addition, the Warden is equipped with launchers for special decoy flares that linger in mid-air to confuse enemy air defence systems.

The success of the Warden was largely thanks to international demand, as many countries that felt threatened by Russian and Chinese ambitions after the US withdrawal turned to any conceivable source for military hardware at a time when American politics focused inward. Soon, orders for Wardens from around the world overwhelmed the production capabilities of the young enterprise that operated out of a warehouse turned 3D printing assembly in Milwaukee.

As the economic crisis subsided and the US embarked to return onto the world stage, a leading drone manufacturer purchased the rights to the Warden and initiated mass production for allied countries and eventually the US military itself. The Warden became a key item in the new AI-heavy doctrine, acting as the innermost layer of air defence in every company, followed by the mid-ranged Avenger-L and the long-ranged Patriot, forming an impenetrable network against air attacks on US forces.

Introduced in 1974, the BTR-D "Grizon" is a lightweight, airdrop-capable personnel carrier designed specifically for the Soviet Airborne Troops. As such, it saw its first use in combat five years later, during the war in Afghanistan. Offering decent tactical mobility and basic protection for its crew and up to six passengers, it is a thoroughly average if undemanding vehicle that remained in service with Russia and other post-Soviet states well into the 21st century.

During the 2030s, changes in Russia's military doctrine led to the Airborne Troops taking on a dual role of air-deployed assault forces as well as a kind of rapid response "fire brigade" in assistance of the Ground Forces. As a result, Russian infantry can requisition delivery of a Grizon, typically by helicopter, directly to their location and Grizons pre-loaded with infantry can be deployed to Helipads.

Initially unarmed for rapid deployment, it has become a common practice for Russian forces to install ZU-23-2 anti-aircraft autocannons on top of their Grizons throughout the course of a battle, allowing the vehicles to provide fire support for friendly ground troops as well as threaten low-flying aircraft.

Developed by a Spanish-Portuguese consortium and exported to several militaries in Europe and beyond, the Battery Guidance Radar - or BAGUIRA as a commercial shorthand - is an advanced artillery fire control support system under the ECA's "Prepared Defences" doctrine. With its sophisticated multi-band radar, the array can detect objects and threats, including concealed ones, in a large area around it. Targets identified by the array can be automatically relayed to friendly artillery batteries situated outside the battlefield. Once linked into the ECA Battle Network system, moving vehicular targets can be engaged with missiles, all in all allowing the array to direct deadly accurate strikes in support of a defensive position. It should be noted however that due to the technical complexity of the system, only a limited number of them can be allocated to any given sector at a time.

Recent reports from Central Africa indicate that the Global Liberation Army is expanding its capabilities in the air. A new type of aircraft in the organisation's inventory has been observed making deliveries of Scorpion tanks and other equipment to GLA-controlled airfields in the region. The twin engine transport bears a strong resemblance to the Fairchild C-119 "Flying Boxcar", although subtle differences identified by military analysts suggest that the airframes may be newly constructed by the GLA itself. At present, intelligence of the organisation's industrial capabilities within its area of control remains sketchy but if future findings were to confirm that the GLA can not only operate but also develop and produce aircraft of its own, the security implications for the African area of operations, and possibly beyond, would be significant.

Expect these and many yet to be revealed items to be featured in ROTR Version 1.9. The SWR Productions team wishes all fans, players and friends a merry Christmas and a happy new year in good health and success for all your endeavours. Thank you all for your continued support and patience

The Hunter, signing off.