Listed here is the timeline for the R-Type series, something that is not made clear in the games. Take this timeline with a grain of salt as it is unclear what information is and isn't canon anymore due to the vagueness of the series.
Prime Timeline
Early Bydo Wars Period
- 2163 (R-TYPE): The Bydo Empire invades human space. To counter the swarm tactics of the invaders and their Wave/Physical duality nature, the Space Corps dispatch a squadron of R-9A Arrowhead Transdimensional Starfighters to push them back. However, not a single fighter from the first wave returns from battle. The last remaining R-9A is sent to attack the heart of the known Bydo Empire in November to kill their leader in a last ditch attack. Despite dire expectations, the pilot is able to not only enter enemy territory but actually complete the mission, putting an end to the First Bydo Mission.
- Late 2163/Early 2164: The Arrowhead, now badly damaged, is recovered by the Space Corps battlecruiser Croque-Monsieur and taken back to Earth. To repair the fighter, it is docked inside the orbital space fortress Aegis. Sometime later, an observatory in Central Asia witnesses a mysterious meteor shower that disappears in the upper atmosphere, dismissing it as nothing abnormal. In reality, the shower was a Bydo invasion force descending onto the planet. Soon electronic weapon systems across the continent are hijacked and begin causing mass devastation. To make matters worse, the R-9A had been infected with Bydo particles which had further contaminated Aegis.
- 2164 (R-TYPE DELTA): Mortiz-G, a weapons platform capable of depopulating entire planets at full power that was secretly stored on the station is unleashed. Its self-defence systems making conventional military hardware useless, the experimental R-9A2 Delta is deployed to disable the weapon. Accompanying it are the RX-10 Albatross and R-13A Cerberus, supplied by McGuire Industries and Warrick Inc respectively. With Moritz-G and the other Bydo attacking the city destroyed, the trio move on to exterminate the remaining invaders before ascending to reclaim Aegis station. There they confront a larger craft containing the Arrowhead, which escapes upon the formers destruction and traps the team in a psychic nightmare. Upon waking up, they return to their base which has been overrun by Bydo due to the actions of the corrupted R-9A. Destroying it and what were once the base's staff, a final assault is launched against a mysterious pocket dimension in orbit around Earth, likely where the invading army originated from. The command entity known as the Bydo Seed is defeated at the cost of the flights Force Devices and the R-13A, its Wave Cannon being too weak to break out of the dimension. The two remaning fighters are swiftly recovered.
- Around the same time, rogue automated hover vehicles termed "Mad Cars" cause havoc in cities. R-11B "Peace Maker" is utilised by the police to destroy the Mad Cars. (GALLOP)
- 2165 (R-TYPE II): The Bydo Empire launches another invasion of human space. Noticing the potential of giving advance craft to ace pilots, the Space Corps developed and the R-9C Warhead. Optimized for multiple situations and being the first R-Craft fitted with a subspace travel system, it is sent to fend off the enemy before once again travelling to the main planet of the Empire to destroy their new leader. This brings an end to the Second Bydo Mission.
- 2167: Squadron of highly advanced R-9S Strike Bomber is ambushed and decimated by Bydo forces in the outer Solar System.
- 2169 (R-TYPE III): The Third Bydo Mission. Another invasion of Earth Space is put into action, this time aimed directly at the Solar System. The R-90 Ragnarok, equipped with a hyperdrive engine is launched to hunt down and destroy the Mother Bydo, the leader of this new invasion. After travelling through and destroying many Bydo production facilities, the R-90 discovers Mother Bydo in another dimension and kills her. This triggers the dimension to collapse, with the pilot only narrowly escaping back to Earth.
- Unknown time/MC 0065 (R-TYPE TACTICS): Bydo forces are discovered to have taken over the entire outer Solar System beyond Mars. In order to repel them, a Special Operations Armada is formed, headed by Commander Jade Ross. The fleet is successful in driving the enemy away from the system, after which it pursued them to Singularity X, their presumed homeworld. They successfully defeat the Bydo Core stationed there, but all contact with them is subsequently lost.
Peace Time
- Unknown period: Following Jade Ross' victory, Bydo invading the Solar System gradually diminish in numbers. This results in humanity believing the Bydo Empire has been defeated for good. But eventually rebel groups start forming in the outer regions of the Solar System and on Mars in response to the Earth Hegemony's continued usage of Bydo-derived weaponry during peace time and increasingly authoritarian reign.
Civil War
- Unknown time/MC 0074 (R-TYPE TACTICS II): Peaceful protest against Bydo weapon research begins in the Martian city of Granzella, resulting in the planet being put under martial law by the Hegemony. In response, rebel factions unite into the Granzella Revolutionary Army, which takes over key Space Corps facilities in the outer regions beyond Jupiter. Civil war eventually breaks out, culminating in a battle of the GZRA's capital fortress Geirrod between Jupiter and Saturn. Commander Kisun usurps power over the organization shortly after, reforming the majority of it into the Solar Liberation League, which adopts the Glitnir hyperspace station in the Kuiper Belt as their base of operations and begin fielding captured Bydo units, while simultaneously striking a secret deal with the Hegemony's government to take over the Outer System in exchange for supplying Earth with resources. In response, Space Corps and GZRA's remnants form an alliance and retake Glitnir before cornering Kisun in the Warpspace. Soon, a new Bydo invasion led by a Kombilerbera battleship reaches the Solar System, reaching as far as Earth before being fended off by humanity's united forces. The flagship is eventually cornered as it evolves into a Kombiler-Lilil battlestation, which is subsequently destroyed. Most of the human fleet attacking it goes MIA in the process after being transported to Amber Space.
Renewed Bydo Invasion
- Unknown period: Bydo carry out another invasion, severely weakening the Space Corps and subjugating large parts of Earth. B-Type fighters which directly incorporate Bydo material into their bodies become more prevalent amongst the ranks of Earth military.
- 2183/2xxx (R-TYPE FINAL): With the Bydo Empire on the verge of finally destroying mankind for good, the Space Corps return to the tried and true method of sending an advanced R-Craft to attack the source of the enemy. The name of the mission is Operation Last Dance. This time the craft in question is the R-99 Last Dancer, a so called "Ultimate Fighter" which can equip any weapon systems previously used on other R-Craft...including B-Types. After first fighting off Bydo attacking Earth, the R-99 departs for Glitnir and enters Warpspace so it can reach the Bydo Dimension. Upon arrival, the nexus of the Bydo is located and destroyed, ending the Bydo Wars for good at the cost of the pilots life...
Post-Bydo Wars Period
- Unknown time (R-TYPE FINAL 2/3): While the source of the Bydo is long gone, there is still a chance the Empire will one day become a threat to humanity or even the entire Galaxy again. To prevent this, the Earth Allied Forces create project R-TYPE FINAL 2, aiming to compile all records of the previous wars which have been lost. This data will then be used to further research anti-Bydo technology and to program training simulations for new pilots.
Future
- 25XX: Humanity creates the Bydo, which proceed to go rogue and attack mankind. Soon expelled into another dimension. Unknown if this is in the same timeline via time loop or part of an old timeline.
Alternate Timelines
Leo Universe
- 2163 (R-TYPE LEO): On the artificial colony world of Eden, the administrative bio-supercomputer known as Major turns against humanity and declares war on them. Eden's Warriors, an army of war machines are used to carry out its will. Mankind responds by sending two "Leo" type starfighters to neutralize Major and reclaim Eden. While successful in shutting down Major, the vengeful AI retaliates by blowing up Eden.
- Unknown time: A Leo somehow passes between universes and ends up in the prime R-Type timeline, where it is reverse-engineered to improve the bit technology of the EAAF and to create their own version of the craft, dubbed the R-9Leo "Leo".
