Fourth Corporate War

"The Real 4th Corporate War, from the tales of Cyberpunk Red."

- Cyberpunk Red World Book

The 4th Corporate War took place from 2021 to 2023, and involved the two Aquacorps CINO and OTEC. Who later hired Arasaka and Militech to fight in their battles.

History
Just like the 1st and 2nd Corporate Wars, the 4th Corporate War began when rival Megacorps used their money and flexed their military muscle to achieve a financial objective, usually fighting over buying out a company or resources. In early 2021, IHAG, a Megacorp that specialized in underwater shipping and tech went bankrupt, this lead to two rival Aquacorps, CINO and OTEC, squaring off for a hostile takeover of IHAG's remaining resources. at first, both Corps engaged in what was known as typical opening rounds of battle; this usually consist of stock manipulations and economic warfare, but as the conflict grew out of hand, both companies began in all out warfare.

The Hot War
After a year of fighting, neither of the aquacorps were able to gain the upper hand. This led to both corporations taking it to the next level of combat during the war; both of them hired the forces of much larger Megacorps to provide a proper military and resources to conduct such battles. OTEC hired Militech, an armaments manufacturer and security force based in the United States. In response to this, the CINO hired Arasaka, the most influential MegaCorporation of the modern age built around security, banking, and manufacturing based out of Japan. Being the two largest paramilitary megacorps in the world, both Arasaka and Militech had been rivaling for many years on different contractors. In the beginning both corporations were dealing with more civil intractions attending meetings and debating. Secretly both tried to sabotage the other's assets in an attempt to gain information. Eventually the gave up om the politeness and started with small firefights. As major international Megacorps at the absolute apex of Corporate power in the world, fielding armies with tens of thousands of troops. Both sides also possessed extremely advanced transportation and logistics system, allowing them to strike at each other anywhere on the planet. This combination of sophisticated military technology and lighting tactical movement made it all but impossible for many legitimate nations to stop conflicts within the borders. Small engagements soon flared pitch worldwide, with forces from both megacorps engaged in major battles that embroiled entire cities. The megacorps took the fight into the major cities like Tokyo, Yokohama, Washington, Chicago, and Night City. Rio De Janeiro was reduced to rubble during this time, and proved to have felt the effects of the war the hardest.

In the EEC, Arasaka Europe Division was nationalized cutting off the resources to the rest of the world. The Japanese government also attempted to follow the EEC, by attempting to nationalize Arasaka within its borders. Japanese Prime Minister Jirou Kikuchi made an attempt to control the Arasaka Corporation, but Saburo used his influence keep the PM's hands out of the company. Yorinobu Arasaka, the rebel son of Saburo, didn't side with Militech during the war. Instead he played a role in supplying info to the Government of Japan that helped their nationalization of Arasaka's Japanese assets. The ware was effectively over, with the exception of the conflict in America. During this time Militech was nationalized by US President Elizabeth Kress through the expedient of reactivating Militech CEO General Donald Lundee's reserve commission. All that was left was the conflict of Night City between the two MegaCorps, Arasaka and Militech, despite their contractors CINO and OTEC settling their own conflict with each other long before. A Militech strike team left a mini-nuke in the Arasaka American Division HQ, destroying it and the corporate plaza.

The End of the War
The Fourth Corporate War had eventually come to an end in 2023. This included a year wrap up as pockets of fighting were quelled by both Militech and the national armies in the US. The Japanese government had almost broken down during this period, however by repudiating Arasaka for its actions during the war, the national face was saved to an extent. Shortly thereafter, the Japanese PM made a public statement that the Arasaka Corporation was to be reduced to a Japan-only company for the next decade. Even after the damage that had been done, the EEC was mostly restored.

In the following years after the war, the world saw many changes. Arasaka had broken into three warring factions: the Kiji Faction, headed by Hanako Arasaka; the Hato Faction, headed by Michiko Arasaka, Kei's youngest daughter, who is a US citizen and allies with the new US Government; and the Rebel Faction Taka, headed by Saburo's rebel son Yorinobu. Meanwhile, the United States was now a functional dictatorship under President Elizabeth Kress's ongoing State of Emergency. Militech was used as a puppet by the US, with its assets being used to strengthen the American military.

Hot War Response
In 2022, around the world countries were waking up to the fact that they needed to face the war. Arasaka and Militech (and their allies and operations) were so intertwined into the world's economic system that there was no country that could afford to stand by and let them slug it out. This is due to both companies being involved in international arms supply, security contracts and subcontracts, showrooms and ammunition manufacturing. Thanks to the war, many of these operations became legitimate targets for hostile attack.

It wasn't just the widespread violence of the war that bothered governments. The operations of these two megacorporations pump considerable amounts of euros into local economies; for instance, in Night City alone, there was the Militech showroom retail business, the retail ammo and parts business, and the wholesale business done by both corporations. There are also the security contracts held by Arasaka, many of which were filled by subcontractors. With the war on, all of the subcontractors had been summoned to war against Militech. Arms, ammo, and parts sales had plummeted, as Arasaka and Militech conserved their supplies for themselves- it was becoming nigh impossible to procure Militech's special 6.5mm ammo on the street. The effects on local business weren't good; Che Guevarra's had practically shut down its back-room business in arms dealing, and the Taco Hut only offered cheap Mexican knock-off of good firearms. It began to be difficult to find ammo on the rack in convenience stores; few people realized that 74% of the ammo sold in Night City was manufactured by Militech.

The Shadow War made it perfectly clear that governments around the world were going to have to do something about the escalating conflict. Logically, the solution would to present a unified front against the warring corps and tell them to stop or face nationalization. Since Militech and Arasaka are so big, wealthy, and important, efforts had been made on their behalf to let them continue their conflict. Both corporations have had their lobbyists working full-time to mollify the growing tide of anger over the destruction that came with the war; businesses which were tied to or depended upon one of the two were lending their lobbying efforts as well.

United States of America
America wasn't idle during the Shadow War; when the EEC attempted to subvert Colombia, the U.S. answered with covert warfare of its own. The Colombian conflict came out favorably, although the CIA lost more men than it had anticipated.

The U.S. and the Free States were deeply caught in the economic consequences of the Hot War. Only Texas was free from Militech's pervasive economic impact, and even the Texans got most of their military arms and equipment from Militech. This, and sizable bribes, had made these governments reluctant to move.

However, the war's chaos became ever more difficult to ignore. When Los Angeles, Chicago, and Night City were burning, and the sound of automatic weapons fire was coming back to the District of Columbia, state and federal governments needed to respond. To this end, National and State Guard units were on alert across the nation. Regular military units were also on standby alert; the USAF had put its assets on standby, and featured a daily delta sweep patrol through LEO during the western hemisphere's daytime hours. Hawaii and other U.S. possessions were now firmly under martial law; anyone caught with weapons would be imprisoned, and resisters were killed-for the duration of the war, corporate immunity was suspended. At the time it was rumored that the US was considering the European method, the country would seize and shore up the domestic assets of both corporations if needed.

Japan
Japan had put its Self Defense Force on alert readying for the inevitable attacks on Arasaka assets. There had already been plenty of clandestine attacks, and the government was ready to respond with overwhelmingly lethal force if they caught anyone making any more attacks. The Government had issued orders to the effects that anyone caught with military gear or engaged in sabotage or other paramilitary violence would be shot on sight.

The SDF was also doing anti-invasion exercises, preparing for the possibility of a Militech-sponsored Chinese invasion. The only country that took that line of reasoning seriously was China, which believed the mobilization excuse was a ploy to cover activities against the Chinese mainland. The Prime Minster's main concern was to nationalize Arasaka within their borders, restricting resources to the rest of the world.

Despite invasion worries, the people of Japan were enjoying a period of relative peace-most of the violent yakuza, bosozoku, and gangs were either keeping quiet due to the increase of SDF operations within the country or they were hired by Arasaka. Whatever the reasoning, Japan was peacefully with much of the people enjoying the record low crime rate, unlike that of the American continents.

The EEC
The Shadow War had the nations of the EEC on distinct alert. Their peace had already been disturbed by the OTEC/CINO war, and they knew that it was only the precursor of a more violent and widespread conflict to come. To that end, most EEC members had their anti-terrorist forces reinforced and ready to move at any moment, reasoning that the threat to tranquility and business was more important than angering either Militech or Arasaka. Any military or paramilitary actions would get a quick and deadly response. At the same time, the ESA readied its forces to move in case of another orbit war and selling payload line space for putting new satellites into orbit at the same time.

Russia
Russia had the advantage of having very little in the way of Militech and Arasaka assets within its borders. Of course, the fact that the Russian governments had never been on good terms with American or Japanese militarizes might have had something to do with it. Russia at the time was an acting neutral country, selling weapons, ammo, and equipment to anyone with the euro. The Neo-Soviet Rocket Corps was doing much the same, selling cheap rocket lifers for small satellites at rates that undercut the ESA's African Earth-to-orbit railgun cargo lifters, as corporations scrambled to plant more satellites in LEO. The money, supposidly, was going to go to completing the Ural Mountain Gun, the NSRK's land-based, alcohol/steam-powered lifting gun. On the bad side, there were the effects of the Avgas War.

China
China was in a strange position, politically. On the one hand, it was worried about all the recruiting going on in Korea and Taiwan; they believed Arasaka could be planning to use those troops against Militech, or use them against China.

On the other hand, the Chinese were making money. Their space program was deeply in the black, selling satellite lifters to Arasaka for their artillery/killsat web. Their munitions industry was making good money; usually, China's arms had been considered inferior to the Japanese products. Now, they're were still considered inferior, but they became available.

China was also watching the Hong Kong situation with the deepest concern; they knew the island was a powder-keg, and it could blow at any moment.

Australia
Western Australia was heavily dominated by international corporations and relied on Arasaka troops to stiffen their police and military forces. The war was a major concern there; if Arasaka pulled out its forces, Western Australia would be at the mercy of neighboring Federal Australia, and vulnerable to guerrilla attacks from the Abos. In return for continued aid, Arasaka had full access to all Western Australian government facilities and Arasaka was using them. The port city of Perth was a major Arasaka staging and fleet area. Militech had contacted the government of Federal Australia and the Koorie Nationalist Front, and was providing the former with naval and aerial assets, and the latter with arms and munitions.

South America
Most of South and Central America was pretty unconcerned about the war, since neither Militech nor Arasaka had any reason to fight there. Chile, Colombia, and Brazil were exceptions.

Chile was still recovering from an insurgency. Despite the fact that it didn't topple the government, the uprising did significantly deplete Militech forces in that country.

Colombia was still smarting over the mess that came with too many foreign meddlers. Brazil, dominated as it was by Arasaka interest, was eyeing Colombia with apprehension. Brazilian troops were massing to defend their borders as Arasaka attempted to hold onto its main South American asset.

Why Did the War Start
Arasaka and Militech have been contesting each other for domination of the world's arms market for decades. This competition swiftly became a commercial rivalry, turned to good use in marketing, since most people think in black-and-white, good- or-bad terms. By fostering an "us vs. them" attitude, Arasaka and Militech salespeople could elicit an ancient tribal response pattern in their customers. Patrons of one company could be persuaded to invest emotional capitol in "their side", and would cheerfully buy more products from "their" suppliers. It was a proven sales pattern, and both companies milked it for all that they were worth, painting their rivals as threats to "our way of life."

The darker side of this rivalry was that Saburo Arasaka soon came to irrationally consider Donald Lundee a real enemy, a deadly adversary representing the country, people, and even the military force (the United States Marine Corps) that had stolen his glorious warrior's career from him.

For his part, Lundee soon battened onto the rivalry between the two corporations as a method of distracting fellow board members from his secret goal of total domination of both Militech and the world arms market. He could claim that the actions he ordered were to counteract Arasaka "dirty pool", and sales figures always vindicated him.

The Lies
As time went on, Saburo Arasaka came to identify Militech, and Lundee, as the major source of everything holding him back. He harbored the secret suspicion that they were actively blocking his plans for world domination, and were attempting to bring back the 20th-century rule of the United States and all the humiliation of his crippling wounds, Japan's losing the war, and the American occupation thereafter, began to gnaw on his mind.

As for Lundee, Arasaka became a foe he could deal with in a primitive and decisive manner-with firepower! He came to regard the corporation as a vast, nebulous octopus with Saburo Arasaka at its center, a sparring partner that could be fought on the battlefield. It was someone he could brag about beating, unlike his occasional triumphs in the boardroom. Whenever Arasaka acted, Lundee was quick to react.

Market Wars
Of course, the real conflict was being fought economically, as Arasaka plunged its assets into weapons merchandising and Militech added an ever-growing line of security subsidiaries. For years, neither company succeeded in significantly penetrating into the other's territory. Finally, in 2021, Arasaka's Asian sales exceeded Militech's, striking a crippling blow to Militech's solvency and morale.

The Shadow War
After years of sniping at each other, the CINO/OTEC conflict provided ample opportunity for Militech and Arasaka to clash. When it finally and inevitably happened, neither Saburo or Lundee were ready to end things indecisively. Each coveted a decisive victory, a smash-up so great that the other side would be forced to back down (Saburo gloated for days about the possibility of forcing Militech into an "unconditional surrender").

yet neither could accelerate matters too far without risking government and market reprisals; too much war would anger governments worldwide and cause business to abandon both corporations. As the Shadow War wore on, Saburo and Lundee became directly involved in assigning missions and sparring with each other in a sort of complicated live chess game.

The Finale Struggle
By the time the Hot War broke out in June, there was no turning back. Saburo Arasaka and Donald Lundee took the gloves off and began directly slugging each other's organization, with the sole intent of defeating each other. In fact, both corporations are so involved that they wouldn't back down or stop the war; if one of them did, they would lose every market they'd ever built up, through a combination of bad publicity and negotiated settlements (not to mention damage suits).