African League

**Dev. Status** | Conceptual

*Our people can't afford any more sufferings*

*Let's join hands Africa*

*We have nothing to lose*

*But a lot to gain*

- *"Viva Nigeria"* composed by Fela Kuti
The African League, also known as the League or simply the Africans, is a faction based on the ideas conceived by BouncyTEM and later expanded on and directed by Chumbeque. An alliance of nations whose purpose is the liberation and uplifting of all Africans, they are bent on freeing Africa of any foreign oppresion they may deem to be present on the continent, no matter its nature or power.

## Background

### The Black Star

Who or what the African League mostly depends on who you ask. For instance, in the case of the Allied Nations, the official answer is that it's a nascent coalition of recently independent countries that are about to apply for membership at any moment now. If you ask an official of the Soviet Union, the answer will be more along the lines of the peoples of Africa finally shedding the chains of oppression and following the natural progress of history. A Syndicate businessman will probably just let out a chain of expletives before refusing to speak more on the subject. Asking an African, on the other hand, will tell a completely different story.

For the Africans, the history of the League is one of betrayal and neglect, of dashed hopes and unfulfilled dreams, of hatred, revenge, and regeneration through these last two. But, over anything else, it's a quest for unity and total self-determination.

The foundations for pan-Africanist thought were first laid by one Marcus Garvey. A Jamaican immigrant to the United States, the atrocities he had heard from colonial Africa has inspired him to form the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League, or UNIA-ACL for short. UNIA-ACL divisions were founded in many countries to spread black empowerment, and his Black Star shipping line was instrumental in transporting goods to African communities worldwide. Many intellectuals within the diaspora, especially the African-Americans, signed up for Garvey's organization, and his anti-colonial beliefs spread fast in then-colonies in the mother continent itself.
Not everything would go swimmingly for Garvey, however. Imprisoned for mail fraud and his shipping line bankrupted, the movement was about to collapse until a visit to Dahomey. There, he met Mustafa Zakim, a diamond baron hailing from Turkey plying his trade there. Despite his Ottoman background, he was embittered by how little WWI's conclusion did to end colonialism, and struck a deal with Garvey. Zakim would endorse him and assist him financially, and Garvey would propagate the word of pan-Africanism far and wide.

Far and wide did pan-Africanism spread. Zakim's money revitalized not only Garvey's movement but the Black Star shipping line as well. Stepping foot in the Caribbean, the American South, and eventually colonial protectorates in Africa, his rousing speeches frequently talked about the need for self-reliance and nationalist unity. But unlike his contemporaries, he championed the voluntary migration of the African diaspora back to the mother continent to free the ones still in bondage and uplift the lives of all African folk. Unable to purchase lands in Liberia, Zakim suggested traveling to Ethiopia to garner support for the UNIA-ACL.

Why Ethiopia, you may ask? That nation resisted the invasion of a European power... and succeeded.

### Heart of Darkness

A latecomer to the Scramble for Africa, newly-unified Italy wanted to build a new Roman Empire. Taking advantage of a mistranslation in a treaty, the kingdom launched an invasion of Abyssinia in the late 19th century to turn it into a protectorate. However, they did not expect Emperor Menelik II's having bigger numbers, aided militarily by the Russian Empire that time. The invaders were forced to retreat to Italian Eritrea, and Abyssinia remained independent.

Encouraged by their victory over the colonialists, Garvey, Zakim and a few UNIA-ACL representatives established their first branch in Addis Ababa. Emperor Haile Selassie I proved receptive to pan-African ideals, something that became an advantage in the future. Funded by the Syndicate, Mussolini's Italy launched another invasion of Abyssinia in the '30s as revenge for their loss decades ago. What was perceived to be a quick victory surprised many observers as Haitian, Afro-Brazilian and even French West African volunteers from UNIA-ACL's paramilitary wing, the Universal African Legion, fought for the Abyssinians, turning it into a long and drawn-out conflict in which they eventually emerged as the victor. As icing in the cake, they even retook Italian Somaliland.

They tried the same tactics during WWII to mixed results. The hope was placed on the fact the Allies and the Soviets tussled with each other over North Africa, thus leaving sub-Saharan Africa less defended. While a few areas were liberated, Portugal held even tighter to its colonies, sending its own forces to assist colonial troops against the UAL in the midst of WWII. Other colonial powers such as the British used divide-and-conquer tactics, isolating anti-colonial forces from the greater population and fomenting tension within them. Moreover, Legion mercenaries destroy any UAL encampment they could find, making it harder for them to operate.

If these flaws weren't given much attention during WWII, then decolonization put them all out in the open. After Garvey's death in 1959, the news of colonies given independence at long last should've been good news to the African League (their new name). Instead, inter-ethnic conflicts flared up in many of the newly-freed countries, and pro-Allied, Soviet or Syndicate leaders either were voted in or took power by force. Even those from the diaspora who have migrated to the mother continent thanks to the League's Right of Return policy faced misunderstanding from native societies. This chain of events, along with the start of the Congo Crisis, showed the League that their attempts at keeping Africa united and free are futile, and as such vowed to be more proactive in doing so.

### Hour of Africa

During peacetime, radical reforms were instituted across the board. Tribal leaders and presidents the League deemed unworthy were forced to resign, and were often replaced by pliable League-affiliated politicians. The current borders that define states were deemed by League leaders as illegitimate, so talks of doing away with them altogether have begun. Buildings have been constructed in lands that nomadic tribes called home, and those who protested are encouraged to move to the cities instead. While laws have been passed outlawing barbaric crimes such as female genital mutilation, laws banning Allied or Syndicate businesses from operating in League territory have driven locals out of employment.

In a move that further intensified criticism, an alliance with the Empire of the Rising Sun was signed by the two factions. The outcry was largely silenced when the Empire made good in their promise that they would help liberate the mineral-rich Portuguese colonies in WWIII. The trade deal in which Japan would provide technology and military advisers in exchange for League resources also sweetened the whole affair a bit. Much of the Pan-African Divisions (the successor to the UAL)'s technology were developed in times of war: long-distance ramjet cannons blowing away Legion mercenaries, diamondweave armor courtesy of Zakim Diamonds Inc. protecting buildings from Allied aircraft or Soviet tanks.

When the Empire faced defeat, the Pan-African Divisions prepared for UAV strikes or submarine attacks in either the Western or the Eastern coast. But, the Greater Indian Commonwealth, which they initially fought in skirmishes during WWIII, started a 'peacekeeping operation' in the Horn of Africa to clear out GLA elements from the region. It wasn't until they've intercepted plans for a Sprawl to be built on Kismayo that they started to bring the derricks into Somalia. Syndicate Congo already effectively splits League territory in half, now the GIC threatens to annex their east territories. And with the Empire pretty much knocked out the League would go to war against its former allies, particulary the pompous Reactionary Guards (whose relationship is tense at the best of times), to claim who would be the leader of the new Axis.

Whoever the colonizer is, the League will fight tooth and nail to preserve the continent's freedom. To all occupying governments, whether it's the UASR to the west or Allied Africa to the South, even the Frontier Corps moving to Addis Ababa itself, the League enunciates only one message to all of them: Africa will be free to decide her own destiny, and will **never again** kiss the soles of a foreign power.

## Gameplay Style and Development

*"Victory is a rain of explosives from miles away."*

-  League Military Doctrine
### Defense Mechanic

The African League are unique in that all of their buildings come with defenses and are incredibly tough, will self-repair, garrison infantry, and can be further upgraded with their “Fortify” ability which increases its armour and health, upgrade its weapons, and potentially other effects, up to four times with each use taking longer and increasing its cost by 25% its building price. In exchange, however, their buildings are significantly more expensive and their building mechanic is much slower.

### Build Mechanic

The League employs an unusual build system. The premise behind it is that the cannon on their Bastion will shoot out the basic frame of the building out towards the desired location, where, from there, uncontrollable Artisans would go and finish it up with all of the indoor construction. Theoretically, this system would allow very swift expansion, but in practice, thanks to the slow and vulnerable workers, its construction is slow, but efficient.

### Tier Mechanic

The League has four technology branch available at the Bastion, each unlocks a building that produces infantry, vehicle, navy, and aircraft, thus allowing you to select which kind of units you want to produce first, which is further split into two main branches, Hammer and Spear. The commander being expected to eventually fully unlock all branches, after which the Scion branch is unlocked. And each production structure tier up via fortifying.

**Hammer:** Tasked with pummelling the enemy with shells and bombs until everything in that area is completely flattened. Hammer units possesses range thats slightly longer than the Syndicate. But whereas the Syndicate uses precision fire to end their foes before they reach into close range the League chooses to rapidly bombard the area with highly inaccurate but devastating explosives, relying on splash damage to compensate for accuracy, their tactic boiling down to throwing enough explosives that their target and everything around is reduced to a smoking crater. But their general lack of speed and large minimum range means that enemies who gets close can easily whittle them down. And their weapons inaccuracy, and splash damage, can also cause friendly fire if the enemy gets too close.

**Spear:** Tasked with charging through the breach made by the Hammers. Spear units are equipped with extremely tough armour, a necessity for their role and to survive potential friendly fire by the Hammers, and close range, but still inaccurate, explosive weaponry to clear out exceptionally dug in defenders and breach through a hole in the enemy defenses. But the lower range and damage of their weaponry means that tougher foes can easily whittle them down.

**Scion:** Only buildable once all three Hammers and Spears are unlocked. Scion units are vast apartment block-sized vehicles and aircraft, leaving a trail of of destruction wherever they go. Scions are a fusion of the Hammers firepower and Spear durability given the task of breaking defense lines that both the Hammer and Spear struggled with and are often the spearhead when attacking the enemy. However, this mixture of durability and firepower meant that the Scions are both extremely expensive and even slower, though this is (somewhat) compensated by all Scion units being amphibious (seeing as they are simply too large to be transported) but, unless stated, Scion units can’t attack while at sea.

### Power Mechanic

Rather than rely on multiple, easy-to-destroy generators. The League only gets one Diamond Core Station, and one Diamond Synthesis Centre, per Bastion. The only way to increase the amount of power/credits made, besides planting another Bastion, is by fortifying the structures.

## Defenders Of Africa

### War Derricks (Spear)

War Derricks are built to assault enemy positions, with the advantage of being really tough and much more accurate than the other League units. And, being giant mechs in similar veins to the King Oni, almost all of them can also simply stomp and/or punch anything that comes close. All of them are also waterproof and can wade underwater but, unless stated, they can't attack while underwater.

### Scion Project Vehicles/Aircraft

Vast apartment block-sized vehicles and aircraft, Scion units leave a trail of of destruction wherever they go and are amphibious, seeing as they are simply too large to be transported, but can't attack at sea unless stated. And, due to their size, each Scion unit requires ai guidance within the Center which can only support two, up to six, Scion units per Center.

## Behind the Scenes

The African League's overall design is mostly based around Afrofuturism; Overwatch's Numbani and Black Panther are major influences.