Factional Abilities - Chaotic Age Zero

Introduction: Like NPC pilots, not all factions are created equal. Every faction, from major to minor, has a different set of characteristic that sets it apart and makes it more than just a generic "faction" or nation. Each CAZ faction has a different set of unique abilities (generall three) -- above and beyond the set of factional Zoids. These abilities affect more than just money or ranks -- they change the way the faction fights its wars and help determine the ultimate fate of Zi. This articles summarizes and describes the factional abilities of each faction in turn.

What You Need To Know: Each CAZ faction has three abilities: a military ability, an economic ability, and a cultural ability. Each one of these abilities benefits the faction's ability to make war in a completely different way. The factional ability for a given faction is representative of the character of the people and the abilities are essentially immutable and unchanging. One would have to change the faction (or found a new faction) to change the abilites. Generally, these abilities change or modify a rule exclusively for the purposes of the given faction. Factional Zoids are also listed here (See the Main Factions Page, Zoids subsection for details on "factional" Zoids).

Neo Backdraft Group:
Military Ability -- Guerilla Warfare: From the days of the original Backdraft Group, the enemies of the world government have fought a guerilla war in the forests. Even though the Neo Backdraft have expanded far beyond the original old Group, their knack for ambushes and cloaking their units remains. The Neo Backdraft find it much easier to hide units from their foes, and they find it trivial to hide their exact numbers and composition.
Economic Ability -- Planned Infrastructure: The Generalty have made sure that throughout the NBD's territory, the infrastructure is nothing less than superb. From the frozen taiga of north Agale to the plains of Kerat, the trains run on time. Why? Troops move faster along good roads. The Planned Infrastructure of the Backdraft fully halves the Zoid requisition or base-to-base movement time over ground (for those of you who will conduct missions, that's a big bonus) and removes any and all terrain obstacles for Backdraft troops marching through home territory. Too bad enemy troops marching through NBD territory aren't as lucky...
Cultural Ability -- Spirit of the Revolution: The Neo Backdraft Group's fighting Spirit of the Revolution greatly reduces war weariness and increases public support for the war while they fight an enemy on or near Backdraft soil. Also, the Backdraft tend to raise larger militias and generate larger insurgencies when their territory is threatened or taken.

New Helic Republic:
Military Ability -- Naval Tradition: The New Helic Republic's long-standing naval tradition causes Republican sailors to be more skilled and effective (on average, 1 skill ranking higher, though this tapers off towards the higher ranks) than seamen of another faction with the same level of training and experience. Furthermore, the Republic finds it easier to find naval recruits.
Economic Ability -- Superior Shipwrights: The New Helic Republic's long-standing naval tradition (see above) has also seeped over into the economy, and Helic shipwrights among the most skilled and effective in the world. Helic shipyards can build $1,500,000 worth of ships at one time (rather than usual $1,000,000) and Helic naval bases can repair warships (one at a time per base) with light or moderate damage, albeit at half speed.
Cultural Ability -- Helic Neutrality: The Helic Republic values its neutrality ("peace") -- to the point that the military has vastly improved its operations during peacetime. Helic Reserves cost 1/5 their initial cost in upkeep (rather than the normal 1/3) and the Republic can call up their reserves and have them active extremely quickly, usually in about a week. The catch is that active units can't go back to reserve status until the Republic is "neutral" once more.

Zoid Battle Commission:
Military Ability -- Flash Conscription: The Zoid Battle Commission can conscript a number of soldiers on an annual basis equal to the number of soldiers it recruits before causing additional war weariness due to conscription. Furthermore, during emergency conscription, the Zoid Battle Commission can get emergency conscripts onto the battlefield within two weeks (though not necessarily wherever they want).
Economic Ability -- Military-Industrial Complex: The Zoid Battle Commission's close association with its industrial giants gives it the edge in equipping its troops. The Champ PWD will match every dollar of ZBC army ("preferred customer") spending on personal equipment above $1000. That is, the ZBC gets an effective bonus to its equipment spending per soldier equal to real spending-$1000.
Cultural Ability -- Right To Rule: ZBC War Weariness is reduced and public support increases for the war every time the ZBC achieves a major victory (such as killing an opposing factional leader) or takes additional territory (capturing a city). The public may also become more incensed if core Commission territories are lost.

Blackdust Mercenary Group:
Military Ability -- Best of the Best: The Blackdust Mercenary Group consists of an extremely small number of elite soldiers. As a result, the BDMG cannot recruit in the normal sense. However, all of their soldiers are at a rank much, much higher than normal army regulars. Furthermore, any Blackdust unit can operate as a special forces unit if need be, even if it is not flagged as a special forces unit. Lastly, Blackdust units never become demoralized or rout due to morale -- though they will, of course, retreat if ordered.
Economic Ability -- Honor Among Mercenaries: The Blackdust Mercenaries are strangely not compelled by money, though their non-existent economy is powered entirely by mercenary work. BDMG units are never marked as mercenary units, even though they often act as mercenaries. Furthermore, Blackdust Mercenaries tend to pay their own upkeeps -- either by taking care of repair and upkeep personally or though other, more shadowy means...
Cultural Ability -- Tight Lips: The remote location of the Blackdust Mercenary Group, combined with the ridiculously small, strangely loyal population of the nation and the size of the armed forces make it effectively impossible to infiltrate the BDMG or spy on them in the traditional sense of the work. It is very difficult to perform any covert operations on the Blackdust Mercenaries. Conversely, the BDMG has eyes and ears all over the world...

Eastern Continental Alliance:
Military Ability -- Insurgency: The Eastern Continental Alliance's insurgency permits the Alliance to gain a massive intelligence bonus over any enemy that occupies any part of ECA soil (which is most of Loramere, for their purposes). ECA Cloak and Dagger spending is effectively doubled against that faction.
Economic Ability -- Agrarian Economy: The highly decentralized and agrarian eastern economy allows the Eastern Continental Alliance's military to act with fewer supply lines and much less external support. While marching or near ECA territory, the units generally pick up what they need from outlying farms and gain support from sympathetic citizens. There are still some regions of the Continent for which this is not true -- for example, the middle of the desert.
Cultural Ability -- Free Society: The Eastern Continental Alliance is an extremely free society, objecting to so much as their own government expanding or impinging any of their civil rights. When a Continental City is invaded, it has a much larger and longer period of rioting and rebellion before being pacified by the occupying force. In fact, sometimes the dissent and rioting just never really stops. Furthermore, the ECA is internally extremely stable, and not prone to rebellion despite the fragmented government.

Zi International Coalition:
Military Ability -- :
Economic Ability -- :
Cultural Ability -- :