-ORANGE SKIES OVER CASCADIA, A.C 432-

"Kill him! Kill him! He's out in front, Shoot him!!"
"AHAHAHAHAHA!"

Hitman Team, Sicario Mercenary Corps
The Cascadian War / Cascadian Civil War
Part of the Ace Combat and Project Wingman series of characters

THE CASCADIAN WAR, 432 AC

It is the year 432 A.C. (After Calamity). The world is defined by a catastrophic geothermal event that fractured the continents and exposed Cordium, a highly volatile and powerful energetic element. The Republic of Cascadia, a wealthy, Cordium-rich nation in the Pacific Northwest, has formally seceded from the global superpower known as the Pacific Federation. Unwilling to lose their primary energy source, the Federation declared martial law and launched a full-scale, brutal invasion of their own former state. The Cascadian Independence Force (CIF) was initially crushed by the sheer volume of the Federation war machine. In desperation, Cascadia emptied its national treasury to hire the elite Sicario Mercenary Corps to spearhead their counter-offensive.

The conflict was notably also the first time cordium-tipped weaponry was used, and saw private military mercenaries returning to their former glory after a decline caused by the aforementioned war. It also saw the once-mighty Federation being heavily declawed by never-before-seen losses and losing newer member states afterwards because of its atrocities, as well as turning the tide of a secret cold war between the Federation and other superpowers by greatly harming the Federation's image.

THE PACIFIC FEDERATION & PEACEKEEPERS

The Pacific Federation is an expansionist, imperialist superpower that views Cascadia's rebellion as an existential threat. Their military doctrine relies on overwhelming logistical superiority, massive Cordium-powered aerial dreadnoughts (airships), and sheer volume of fire. However, their true terror lies in the "Peacekeepers", fanatical, elite squadrons composed of the Federation's absolute best pilots flying 5th and 6th-generation fighters. Squadrons like "Crimson Team" view mercenaries as sub-human trash and actively hunt down Sicario pilots.
The Pacific Federation is strictly divided into two distinct social realities: The Co