The Empire

"I mean, there they were - part of some crappy country just sitting there wearing those stupid hats, and then we came along and made them part of the Empire! How awesome was that?"

- Emperor Hendrik II

Overview
The Empire is introduced as a long-standing nation that controls the majority of land in central Ateria. An leads the nation and a  may be assigned to assist the emperor in directing military forces. In recent years the Empire has had to deal with a growing rebellion made up of people the Empire conquered in its past.

Upon reaching level 35, it is revealed that the General Ashe led an attack on the capital of the Empire, Cariston, and executed Emperor Hendrik II. Without an emperor, the Imperial military quickly fell to the hands of the organized Rebel Army. In the end, only a few outposts were able to remain online, largely due to the fact that the enemy did not know they existed.

One of these installations was the Outpost, which was busy fighting Raiders in the north during the attack on the capital city. Another was a top-secret research facility that was located deep in the remote and chilling Eastern Wastes.

Conquest of Ateria
The Imperial nation existed for half a millennium before its fall to the Rebel Army. In the Empire's last century of existence, it underwent a major expansion of territory. This major expansion was directed by the grandfather of Emperor Hendrik II, Emperor Hendrik the Great, and would eventually envelop central Ateria, tripling the size of the already large empire.

The Rebellion
It was during this conquest that many countries fell to the military superiority of the Empire. The Empire subjugated the natives of these countries and cared not for the native culture, instead replacing it with the Empire's. It was these kinds of acts that would eventually lead to the forming of the Rebellion. It was in the industrialization period of these new lands that the natives of the conquered countries began to revolt against Imperial rule, having been fed up with constant mistreatment and ridicule of their culture. By now, Hendrik the Great has passed away and his son, the father to Hendrik II, Emperor Tragan, is ruling. It would be in Tragan's last years of life that the rebellion would gain full momentum and become militarized, forcing the Imperial military to step in.

When Tragan passed away, it put the Empire in a strange position. Here they were fighting a threat within its own borders without a proper leader to direct them. The new emperor, Emperor Hendrik II, was just a boy and inexperienced in military matters, much less leading a whole nation. Therefore, the Empire assigned a military advisor to the boy, General Ashe.

It was under Ashe that the Empire was able to eventually corner the bulk of Rebel forces in an unspecified jungle. It is at this point in Imperial history that the beginning of Battle Nations starts. Before what was believed to be the final battle of the war against the Rebels commenced, Emperor Hendrik II says some final words, along with General Ashe, to the Imperial soldiers who are about to enter the jungle where the Rebels are hiding. Many commanders assisted Ashe in leading the Imperial forces to crush the rebellion once and for all, including the player and Lt. Morgan. Eventually, the "final" confrontation with the Rebel insurgents ends with Ashe calling in a bombing strike on the enemy. Afterward, the rebels scatter, now broken.

However, the war does not end there, as one would expect. In an unexpected turn of events, Ashe defects to the Rebels. The brilliant general decides to do so because he is fed up by being bossed around by the obnoxious and pretentious child leading the Empire, Hendrik II. After Ashe's defection, the Rebel Army was able regroup and prolong the war for another 2 years. Without the advice of General Ashe, the naive Emperor began to send out research teams tasked with military projects to various outposts throughout the Empire in hopes of creating a superweapon that could wipe out the Rebels and Ashe off the face of Ateria. Even as these teams did their research, the tide of the war began to turn to the favor of the Rebellion.

End of the Empire
The Rebels eventually launched an assault on the capital city of the Empire after evading Imperial forces numerous times and giving Imperial scouts false intelligence. This surprise attack was led by General Ashe, with Imperial generals held against their will providing further insight on the inner workings of the Imperial defense. The Rebels launched the attack from the Tarray Mountains, destroying Cariston and executing Hendrik II during the strike. News of the emperor's death quickly spread throughout the Empire, resulting in utter chaos in every region. With no offspring or related bloodline, the gradual collapse of the Empire resulted. After most of the Imperial armies were destroyed, total control was left to the countries that helped form the Rebellion. With no more common enemy, the countries' alliance began to split apart and their once indestructible unity began to deteriorate.

Aftermath
Only a select few installations were able to survive the fall, with most of these outposts only surviving because the enemy did not know that they existed. Imperial towns in the Northern and Southern s continued to be protected by surviving Imperial soldiers from a surviving outpost. It is said that a criminal organization targeting the vulnerable towns fell to these same soldiers, and it is said that this noble action soon attracted the attention of the Rebellion, which was still on the hunt for Imperial survivors. These Imperials, with the help of another outpost, were able to repel the Rebel attackers, however, whatever happened to these Imperials after this point remains unknown.

There was another small band of Imperials exclusively protecting the metropolitan area of Marin as well.

Player Units
See the Units page for a comprehensive list of all soldiers, vehicles, and aircraft used by Empire, as well as unorthodox units put to use by the outpost in the North.

Buildings
See the Building Depot page for a comprehensive list of all military buildings, decorations, and housing used by Empire, as well as unorthodox structures put to use by the outpost in the North.

Locations


The following locations are associated with the Empire:


 * The Outpost
 * Recoil Ridge
 * Marin
 * Greenborough
 * Trotbeck
 * Bernmoth
 * Skarborough
 * Sundale
 * Installation 17