History VideoGame / OriginalWar

* TrappedInThePast: EON/TAWAR only goes in one direction. This is a plot point: everyone who steps through the doorway is aware of the consequences, but once they arrive they often find their purpose eroding.

* YouCantGoHomeAgain: Travelling back in time with the EON/TAWAR is one-way only; while a significant group (mostly the Americans and the Arabs) are volunteers, the Russians mostly send conscripts. In particular, [[spoiler:American LoveInterest Joan]] only goes back to escape an attack on the facility by the Arabs.

* ActionGirl: Lisa Lawson. All of the female characters, for that matter, as anyone can change class to a military one.

* GreenRocks: Alaskite/Siberite, the {{Unobtanium}} that's being fought over, has a nice, unhealthy-looking light green glow to it.

* CoolCar: American morphing chassis, a mix between a tracked and wheeled chassis, utilising the speed of its wheeled mode when moving on plain ground, and switching to tracked mode when encountering more difficult terrain. While very durable, thanks to its special ability it's also very fast, so anything built with this chassis turns into a LightningBruiser.

* EasyLogistics: Averted. Vehicles may run out of fuel unless using [[AppliedPhlebotinum Siberite/Alaskite engines]] and each individual base has its own resource pool - supplies have to be transferred from one outpost to another. Guns have unlimited ammo, however.
* EnemyExchangeProgram: You can capture structures of other factions and use them to produce vehicles or provide equipment normally available for the enemy. This is actually integral to American-Arab interactions in the campaign.

* GeoEffects: Bushes, trees and buildings realistically block parts of your line of sight. Hills and upper ground allow you to see for longer distances. Trees block your vehicles and building spots, unless you bulldoze them. Rought terrain and slopes block wheeled vehicles from passing. Shallow water and mud slows units considerably.
* GreenRocks: Alaskite/Siberite, [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin no doubt]].

* HeroMustSurvive: Losing either [=MacMillan=] or Burlak is an instant game over. Additionally, in the American campaign, if [[LoveInterests Joan]] is on the field, one of the secondary objectives is always to make sure she remains alive, whereas in the Russian campaign, it's Burlak's ''tank''.
* HeterosexualLifePartners: John [=MacMillan=] and Frank Forsyth, which is lampshaded in few missions.[[spoiler: If [=MacMillan=] betrays, Frosyth will join his side even if you didn't picked him into your conspiracy.]]

* ICallItVera: Burlak's custom-built tank is called Masha. The Americans think it's his girlfriend.
* InfiniteSupplies: Zig-zagged. Supplies will spawn randomly, and will never run out, but treating the supplies as finite is an important part of the gameplay. Certain missions also take place in regions and times where supplies don't appear, so you have to spend what you start with extremely carefully, to the point of recycling vehicles and buildings to build something more important. Keeping track of fuel for your vehicles is also important. Ammunition is infinite, however.
* InstantMilitia: Played with. Each character can be equipped with a rifle or faction-specific weapon as long as you have access to any barracks or armoury. The actual performance of such soldier is based on his or her combat skill. If there is no place to get better weapons, non-soldier characters will use handguns.
* JustifiedTutorial: In both campaigns, the main character lands in a different situation than was expected by higher ops, so explaining some basics of gameplay is connected with the actual storyline.
* LateCharacterSyndrome: Pretty common in both campaigns with characters unimportant to the plot being added constantly to ensure you always have enough troops to complete a level, even if you lost most of them in the previous one. [[spoiler:And if you choose to pursuit Alliance route, most characters from the other side of conflict will fall under this trope.]]

* MechaMooks: Humans and apemen are strictly limited in numbers, but each faction has access to a (depending on resource availability) potentially unlimited amount of disposable unmanned vehicles: AI-controlled for Russians, remote-controlled for Arabs, both for Americans.

* NukeEm: Staying loyal to either side of the conflict leads to developing a Siberite/Alaskite bomb. It may be used by the player.

* YouCantGoHomeAgain / EarthThatWas: Travelling back in time with the EON/TAWAR is one-way only; this leaves a fairly significant group of people stranded. The Americans send volunteers, the Soviet Union conscripts, and the Arabs mercenaries and fanatics.

* BaselessMission: Many missions, especially the American ones. Your objective is either to survive, capture the enemy base, infiltrate it or [[spoiler: [[StealthBasedMission run away with fellow characters from the main forces]] if you decide to defect to the Alliance.]]
* BittersweetEnding: No matter which side you stick with, there is no HappyEnding.
** The Americans secure their mission by [[spoiler:evaporating all opposition with Siberite bombs]] and then proceed with the original assignment. After this, there is nothing left for the humans to do but die. Two million years hence, the Americans dominate the world economy, while the Soviet Republic chafes under their dominion.

** [[spoiler: The Alliance]] ending is the most optimistic one. They [[spoiler:either choose the Arab ending and destroy the main vein, or force the other sides of the conflict (the Americans and the Soviets) to surrender, then try to "build a better future"]]. This ending does not explain what happens in the future, however.0

* WorkerUnit: Every single character can be equipped with engineering equipment (as long as there is an operating stockpile), allowing him or her to build and repair structures and carry crates. Americans may also use apemen as pack-mules and to help construct or repair, but human or AI-controlled construction vehicles are required to actually start the construction.
* YankTheDogsChain: The trailer for the game has some Americans pulling a risky raid for supplies from the future, losing one of their number in the process, only to find out later that the crate they fought for was full of [[spoiler:Coca-cola cans]].

* LoveMakesYouDumb: If you botch Lisa Lawson's recruitment during [[spoiler: [=MacMillan=]'s deflection to Alliance]], she will berate you for loosing your head over a chick, abandoning your superiors and [[BandOfBrothers real friends]], [[DisproportionateRetribution and then open fire at you.]] Even if everything goes smooth, she will ''still'' consider [=MacMillan=]'s choice suspect because of his affection for Joan.

* ICallItVera: Burlak's custom-built tank is called Masha. Bonus points for the Americans thinking it's his girlfriend.

* LateCharacterSyndrome: Pretty common in both campaigns with characters unimportant to the plot being added constantly to ensure you always have enough troops to complete a level, even if you lost most of them in the previous one. [[spoiler:And if you choose to pursuit Alliance route, all characters from the other side of conflict will fall under this trope.]]

* MechaMooks: Humans and apemen are strictly limited in numbers, but each faction has access to a (depending on resource availability) potentially unlimited amount of disposable unmanned vehicles: AI units for Russians, remote-controlled for Arabs, both for Americans.

* NintendoHard: The game is notoriously unforgiving, even with fresh troops each mission.

* NonStandardGameOver: The American campaign can finish before it even starts for real, if you refuse to enter EON. For the Russians, staying loyal to Platonov when given a chance to betray or usurp him has... [[TheScapegoat unpleasant]]... [[ShotAtDawn consequences]].

* OurTimeTravelIsDifferent: EON/TAWAR don't have any kind of control panel. It sends anyone and anything you put inside (and fits inside - it's no bigger than a regular doors) exactly 2 million years into past. With accuracy of 4-5 years. In a radius of 15 miles around its stand in the "present day". So just imagine how gathering your troops and resources (they are sent from the future) looks like. And it works only one way - to the past. Not to mention you need [[UnObtainium Siberite/Alaskite]] to even run it.
* PacifistRun: One of your secondary objectives during [[spoiler: desertion from American forces]] is this, as your enemies [[spoiler: are your fellow soldiers and friends]]. There is also [[GuideDangIt a special puzzle]] if Lisa Lawson is in your team, as she won't go with you unless you neutralize soldier standing next to her, doing it without killing him ''and'' not letting her see you in action...
* ReinventingTheWheel: ZigZagged. Most upgrades will stay researched between missions, but some will have to be researched second time and then they will too be passed to next missions.
* RidiculouslyFastConstruction: [[JustifiedTrope Somewhat justified]]. The speed of construction depends on skill and number of engineers or mechanics involved, while most of their job is combining prefabricated elements.
* RockBeatsLaser: Laser-based weapons can tear down any kind of vehicle in their range. Strangely, they do almost no damage to humans and apes, so a lone turret can be destroyed by dismantling it.

* StartingUnits: In some missions, you start with vehicles which you are able to neither produce nor fuel.
* StealthBasedMission: Each campaign has a handful of stealth missions where being discovered leads to being killed almost immediately. The game as a whole implements stealth-based mechanics: crawling through high grass makes you virtually invisible, whereas walking, running or driving through grass flattens it for several minutes, revealing your movements, high ground lets you spot careless foes from afar, and gasoline engines can be heard from outside the fog of war.

* TrappedInThePast: EON/TAWAR only goes in one direction. All characters are aware of this.

* ActionGirl: Lisa Lawson.
* TheAloner: Tim Gladstone, a scientist, who arrived as first time-traveller and spent a year alone.
* AlternateTimeline: Contrary to popular believe American and Soviet campaigns are '''not''' set in the same timeline. What happens in one of them has nothing to do with events of second and vice versa.
* ArmyOfOne: Check HarderThanHard below.
* TheAtoner: One of the main motifs for [[spoiler: Alliance]].
* AwesomeButImpractical: Most of Arab weapons. Come on, motorised ballista?
* BadBoss: For both campaigns! The American general Ron Harrison is actually a ReasonableAuthorityFigure, but gets quickly replaced by Arthur Powell, a stubborn JerkAss. The Russians have it even worse with Major Platonov and his belief in WeHaveReserves.
* BaselessMission: Many American missions are these. Your objective is either to survive, capture the enemy base, infiltrate it or [[spoiler: [[StealthBasedMission run away with fellow characters from the main forces]] if you decide to defect to the Alliance.]]
* BittersweetEnding: Really, no matter which side you stick with, the final outcome is far from typical HappyEnding, mostly thanks to FridgeLogic. In case of win:
** Americans will secure their mission by evaporating all opposition with Siberite bombs and then they will proceed with original assignment. Then... well, they can only die. In this time line future, America will oppress the whole planet and the Soviet Union with stalinism ideology will still exists.
** Soviets will evaporate all opposition with Alaskite bombs and then... well, they can only die. In this time line future United States are too weak to stop new Russia (as Soviet Union collapsed) from invasion.
** Arabs will blow up Siberite main vein, which will lead to EarthShatteringKaboom. There is no future in this scenario, at least not for Earth.
** [[spoiler: Alliance]] ending is the most opimistic one. They [[spoiler:either destroy (Arabs) or force to surrender (Americans and Soviets) other sides of the conflict and then abandon all missions]]. Sure, they are still TrappedInThePast, but they just want to live their lives instead of mindlessly following orders from superiors who won't even be born for next 2 million years. The final outcome is close to EarnYourHappyEnding. In this time line future, neither America nor Russia got the upper hand and probably no invasion will happen.

* ColourCodedArmies: Each faction has its own unique color. Americans are blue, [[RedScare Soviets are red]], [[spoiler: Arabs are yellow and the Alliance uses light green.]]
* CommandAndConquerEconomy: Buildings not only need your direct orders, but also require characters inside to actually work. Laboratories need scientists, while garages and factories are operated by mechanics.
* ConflictingLoyalty: As the game progress, it's more and more apparent for the characters that their objective is not as noble as they thought at the beginning. [[spoiler: This ultimately leads to creation of Alliance, made by deflected scientists of both sides.]]
* CoolCar: American morphing chassis, a mix between a tracked and wheeled chassis, utilising the speed of its wheeled mode when moving on plain ground, and switching to tracked mode when encountering more difficult terrain. While very durable, thanks to it's special ability it's also very fast, so anything build with this chassis turns into LightningBruiser.

* EnemyExchangeProgram: You can capture structures of other factions and use them to produce vehicles or provide equipment normally available for the enemy. This is actually a plot point in American-Arab relations.
* EverythingFades: Averted. Corpses remain where they fall, grass can regrow and explosions leave permanent craters. In 2001 game.
* FiveManBand: Americans seem to follow this trope
** TheHero: John [=MacMillan=]
** TheLancer: Frank Forsyth
** TheSmartGuy: Peter Roth
** TheBigGuy: Lisa Lawson
** TheChick: Joan Fergusson

* FragileSpeedster: Arab's hat. While in most cases it's their main weakness than anything else, when their vehicles are [[ActionBomb packed with explosives]], this turns into a serious thread to your troops when on open ground.

* GarrisonableStructures: Almost all buildings, but only barracks, sand-bags and manned gun positions work as typical garrisons, allowing characters inside to shoot at opponents.

* GuideDangIt: If [[spoiler: you decide to defect to the Alliance]] in American campaign, you have to pick up five characters, who will join you for the rest of the game, making it really tough choice. What you don't know at that point is that Frank Forsyth and Joan Ferguson will join you regardless of your picks. The kicker? They are probably the last characters you won't pick by yourself. And taking Lisa Lawson with you in this mission is nigh impossible without reading somewhere how to do it.
* HarderThanHard: If current mission is unbeatable, don't worry. The next one will be even worse. American campaign has probably the best examples of this trope. In one of late missions right after the start you have to get to your base on the other end of the map. On arrival you find out that the base is almost completly razed. While you are busy rebuilding and repairing, the enemy have already a steady attack force, driving (yeah, with tanks) toward your location. After pushing [[ZergRush them off and off]], researching quite a lot, gathering loads of resources and building bunch of your own vehicles you actually have to attack 2nd best fortress designed in-game, tearing it to the ground. With conventional weapons. And here comes the best part - all of that with just TWO characters. [[UpToEleven One of them being a scientist]].
* HeroMustSurvive: Losing either [=MacMillan=] or Burlak is an instant game over.

* InfiniteSupplies: Oh how averted... in some missions you not only don't get supplies from the future, but also from bigger bases in "present", being forced to conserve what you get at start. [[PunctuatedForEmphasis Every. Single. Crate]]. Sometimes it's even necessary to dismantle your vehicles to get enough supplies for needed buildings or sufficient defences.
** But you can '''never''' run out of ammo.
* InstantAIJustAddWater: Both Americans and Russians research and use unmanned defences and vehicles controlled by AI, producting them en-mass. 2 millions years BC, using supplies sent from early 2000's.

* LateCharacterSyndrome: Pretty common in both campaigns with characters non-important for the plot. [[spoiler:And if you choose to pursuit Alliance route, all characters from the other side of conflict will fall under this trope.]]
* LoveMakesYouDumb: If you botch Lisa Lawson's recruitment during [[spoiler: [=MacMillan=]'s deflection to Alliance]], she will berate you for loosing your head over a chick, abandoning your superiors and [[BandOfBrothers real friends]]. [[DisproportionateRetribution And then she will open fire at you.]] Even if everything will go smooth, she will ''still'' consider [=MacMillan=]'s choice flaved by his affection toward Joan.

* MightyGlacier: Soviet's hat. Almost all their vehicles trade speed for all-terrain heavy tracks, sturdy armour and bigger guns. Their faction-specific infantry weapon, heavy rocket launcher, was found too heavy and thus slowing soldiers down, so it goes with heavy body armour as a way to compensate for already low mobility.
* NintendoHard: Most of missions tend to be like this. Having 6 characters under your command is almost like hitting unit-limit in all RTS games.
* NonEntityGeneral: Averted. The American protagonist, John [=MacMillan=], is something of a WarriorPoet, while the Russian Jurij Ivanovich "Burlak" Gorki is more of a BoisterousBruiser.
* NonIndicativeDifficulty: The in-game description [[BlatantLies calls the American campaign easy and good for new players.]]

* ProtectionMission: In the American campaign if [[LoveInterests Joan]] is on the field, one of the secondary objectives is always to make sure she's alive. In case of Russian campaign, it's [[BrickJoke Burlak's tank...]]

* RockBeatsLaser: Laser-based weapons can tear down any kind of vehicle in their range. Strangely they do almost no damage to humans and apes, so you can simply take down laser turrets even by dismantling them. Providing they are not covered with some [[MoreDakka real firepower]]. Also, you can [[spoiler: kill drivers in vehicles when your characters are equipped with sniper rifles, and then]] easly retake those vehicles.

* SlapOnTheWristNuke: While Siberite/Alaskite bomb isn't a classic nuke, it's portrayed as something much, much more powerful. Being the most powerful weapon in-game, it is able to take nothing bigger than a dense-packed medium-sized base.
* SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism: While not a happy stroll in the park in any way, the American campaign is much more idealistic than the Russian one, where several important characters are unceremoniously killed off (including [[spoiler: Burlak's brother and [=MacMillan=]'s LoveInterest, not to mention Tim Gladston in just first mission]]), and remaining loyal to your BadBoss earns you a firing squad rather than his respect. [[spoiler: If you decide to follow it, the Alliance route is more idealistic than staying loyal to either of the sides.]]
* SovietSuperscience: Soviet tanks at the beginning. Then Soviet time-displacement technology, teleportation and probably out of all [[HumongousMecha mecha armed with all-kind-of-possible-weapon]] build like a factory, not in a factory. Not to mention being build 2 millions years ago by bunch of car mechanics.
* StartingUnits: In some missions, you start with vehicles which you are able to neither produce nor fuel...
* StealthBasedMission: At least one is obligatory stealth if you are even thinking about finishing it. That's right. A stealth mission in RTS game. And you would be suprised how well it is made.
* TakeAThirdOption: The Russian victory means they invade United States in the present day, while the American victory creates an AlternateUniverse where they oppress the whole planet and the USSR still exists. To avoid this, [[WideEyedIdealist Peter Roth]] hopes for both sides' scientists to cooperate in understanding. The Arabs have their own third option as well, although a rather... [[StuffBlowingUp extreme]] one.

* UnexpectedGameplayChange: It's an [[RealTimeStrategy RTS]], right? So all I have to do is build som... oh shit, is that a [[TacticalShooter tactical shooter]]? A [[StealthBasedMission stealth mission]]?
* VideoGameCaringPotential: Every human unit in the game is a unique individual with RPG-like stats, and when they die, they are {{Killed Off for Real}}. It is often better to deploy inferior remote-controlled or computer-controlled vehicles just to avoid risking your precious soldiers.
** Not to mention risking missing the dialogue, which is often hilarious.
* VideogameFlamethrowersSuck: Heavy guns does more damage and don't require to get so darn close.
* WhatCouldHaveBeen: For unknown reason the original plot was heavily changed, What you got in game is military expedition on both sides with lots of weapons, fighting equipment and trained soldiers. The [[IncrediblyLamePun original]] premise was that the Americans sent back miners, geologists, sciencists and few hunters and gave them just the basic survival equipment, with no professional soldiers to aid. And they get hard beating from Soviet well-fitted and trained armed forces, being there just to protect the Siberite/Alaskite from those damn capitalists. Just imagine how hard it would get in such setting. One of old concept arts is used as background in American campaign menu.
* WorkerUnit: Every single character can be equipped with engineering equipment (as long as there is an operating stockpile), allowing him or her to build and repair structures and carry crates. Americans may also use apemen as pack-mules and to help construct or repair, but human or AI-controlled construction vehicle is required to start building.
* YankTheDogsChain: Trailer for the game should get a special mention. Americans pull a risky raid for supplies from the future, loosing one of them, only to find out later that the crate they fight for was full of [[spoiler:Coca-cola cans]]. Then the whole game, plot-wise, is like this.
* YouRequireMoreVespeneGas: Crates represent resources sent from the future and they are used for everything. With proper technology, you can find oil deposits and later [[GreenRocks Siberite/Alaskite]], using them as fuel for your vehicles and power generators. There is also energy, produced by said generators or solar panels.

* LoveMakesYouDumb: If you botch Lisa Lawson's recruitment during [[spoiler: [=MacMillan=]'s deflection to Alliance]], she will berate you for loosing your head over a chick, abandoning your superiors and [[BandOfBrothers real friends]]. [[DisproportionateRetribution And then she will open fire at you.]] And even if everything will go smooth, she will ''still'' consider [=MacMillan=]'s choice flaved by his affection toward Joan.

* LoveMakesYouDumb: If you botch Lisa Lawson's recruitment during [[spoiler: [=MacMillan=]'s deflection to Alliance]], she will berate you for loosing your head a chick, abandoning your superiors and [[BandOfBrothers real friends]]. [[DisproportionateRetribution And then she will open fire at you.]] And even if everything will go smooth, she will ''still'' consider [=MacMillan=]'s choice flaved by his affection toward Joan.

* MightyGlacier: Soviet's hat. Almost all their vehicles trade speed for all-terrain heavy tracks, sturdy armour and bigger guns. Their faction-specific infantry weapon, heavy rocket launcher, was found too heavy and thus slowing soldiers down, so it goes with heavy body armour as a way to compensate for low mobility.

* CoolCar: American morphing chassis, a mix between a tracked and wheeled chassis, utilising the speed of its wheeled mode when moving on plain ground, and switching to tracked mode when encountering more difficult terrain.

* GeoEffects: Bushes, trees and buildings realistically block parts of your line of sight. Hills and upper ground allow you to see for longer distances. Trees block your vehicles and building spots, unless you bulldoze them. Rought terrain and slopes block wheeled vehicles from passing.

* LoveMakesYouDumb: If you botch Lisa Lawson's recruitment during [[spoiler: [=MacMillan=]'s deflection to Alliance]], she will berate you for loosing your head over a chick, abandoning your superiors and [[BandOfBrothers real friends]]. [[DisproportionateRetribution And then she will open fire at you.]]

* GuideDangIt: If [[spoiler: you decide to defect to the Alliance]] in American campaign, you have to pick up five characters, who will join you for the rest of the game, making it really tough choice. What you don't know at that point is that Frank Forsyth and Joan Ferguson will join you regardless of your picks. The kicker? They are probably the last characters you won't pick by yourself.

* HarderThanHard: If current mission is unbeatable, don't worry. The next one will be even worse. American campaign has probably the best examples of this trope. In one of late missions right after the start you have to get to your base on the other end of the map. On arrival you find out that the base is almost completly razed. While you are busy rebuilding and repairing, the enemy have already a steady attack force, driving (yeah, with tanks) toward your location. After pushing [[ZergRush them off and off]], researching quite a lot, gathering loads of resources and building bunch of your own vehicles you actually have to attack 2nd best fortress designed in-game, tearing it to the ground. With conventional weapons. And here comes the best part - all of that with just TWO characters. One of them being a scientist.

* GeoEffects: Bushes, trees and buildings realistically block parts of your line of sight. Hills and upper ground allow you to see for longer distances. Trees block your vehicles and building spots, unless you bulldoze them.

* EnemyExchangeProgram: You can capture structures of other factions and use them to produce vehicles or use equipment normally available for the enemy. This is actually a plot point in American-Arab relations.

* AlternateTimeline: Contrary to popular believe American and Soviet campaign are '''not''' set in the same timeline. What happens in one of them has nothing to do with events of second and vice versa.

* HarderThanHard: If current mission is unbeatable, don't worry. The next one is even worse. American campaign has probably the best examples of it. Just after one of the missions starts, you have to get to your base on the other end of the map. On arrival you find out that the base is almost completly razed. While you are busy rebuilding and repairing, the enemy have already a steady attack force, driving (yeah, with tanks) toward your location. After pushing [[ZergRush them off and off]], researching quite a lot, gathering loads of resources and building bunch of your own vehicles you actually have to attack 2nd best fortress designed in-game, tearing it to the ground. With conventional weapons. And here comes the best part - all of that with just TWO characters. One of them being a scientist.

''Original War'' is a strategy game that was released in 2001 as a budget title. It is noted for including {{RPG elements}}, a resource system built around scarcity and a [[NintendoHard very high difficulty]]. Being an obscure game overall, it has achieved cult status since its release. The story is loosely based on the 1981 novel TheLastDayOfCreation by German author WolfgangJeschke.

* OhCrap: Happens frequently as newly-arrived time travellers rarely land where and when they were supposed to. The first mission of either campaign involves a lot of careful sneaking around enemy patrols. And [[ItGotWorse it gets only worse]].
* OurTimeTravelIsDifferent: EON/TAWAR don't have any kind of control panel. It sends anyone and anything you put inside (and fits inside - it's no bigger than a regular doors) exactly 2 million years into past. With accuracy of 4-5 years. In radius of 15 miles around it's stand in the "present day". So just imagine how gathering your troops and resources (they are sent from the future) looks like. And it works only one way - to the past. Not to mention you need [[UnObtainium Siberite/Alaskite]] to even run it.

*** [[spoiler: Alliance]] ending is the most opimistic one. They [[spoiler:either destroy (Arabs) or force to surrender (Americans and Soviets) other sides of the conflict and then abandon all missions]]. Sure, they are still TrappedInThePast, but they just want to live their lives instead of mindlessly following orders from superiors who won't even be born for next 2 million years. The final outcome is close to EarnYourHappyEnding. In this time line future, neither America nor Russia got the upper hand and probably no invasion will happen.

** Americans will secure their mission by evaporating all opposition with Siberite bombs and then they will proceed with original assignment. Then... well, they can only die. In this time line future, America will oppress the whole planet and the Soviet Union with very strong ideology will still exists.

** Americans will secure their mission by evaporating all opposition with Siberite bombs and then they will proceed with original assignment. Then... well, they can only die. In this time line future, America will oppress the whole planet and the Soviet Union will still exists.

** Americans will secure their mission by evaporating all opposition with Siberite bombs and then they will proceed with original assignment. Then... well, they can only die.
** Soviets will evaporate all opposition with Alaskite bombs and then... well, they can only die.
** Arabs will blow up Siberite main vein, which will lead to EarthShatteringKaboom.
*** [[spoiler: Alliance]] ending is the most opimistic one. They [[spoiler:either destroy (Arabs) or force to surrender (Americans and Soviets) other sides of the conflict and then abandon all missions]]. Sure, they are still TrappedInThePast, but they just want to live their lives instead of mindlessly following orders from superiors who won't even be born for next 2 million years. The final outcome is close to EarnYourHappyEnding.

*** [[spoiler: Alliance]] ending is the most opimistic. They [[spoiler:either destroy (Arabs) or force to surrender (Americans and Soviets) other sides of the conflict and then abandon all missions]]. Sure, they are still TrappedInThePast, but they just want to live their lives instead of mindlessly following orders.

* TheAtoner: One of the main motifs for whole Alliance.

** TheHero: John Mc Millan

* HeterosexualLifePartners: John Mac Millan and Frank Forsyth, which is lampshaded in few missions.[[spoiler: If Mac Millan betrays, Frosyth will join his side even if you didn't picked him into your conspiracy.]]

* NonEntityGeneral: Averted. The American protagonist, John Mac Millan, is something of a WarriorPoet, while the Russian Jurij Ivanovich "Burlak" Gorki is more of a BoisterousBruiser.

* SlidingScaleOfIdealismVersusCynicism: While not a happy stroll in the park in any way, the American campaign is much more idealistic than the Russian one, where several important characters are unceremoniously killed off (including [[spoiler: Burlak's brother and [=MacMillan=]'s LoveInterest]], and remaining loyal to your BadBoss earns you a firing squad rather than his respect. [[spoiler: If you decide to follow it, the Alliance route is more idealistic than staying loyal to either of the sides.]]

* TheAloner: Tim Gladstone, a scientist, who arrived as first time-traveller and spent a year alone.
* TheCynic: Cyrus Parker.