Tom Clancy's EndWar Faction Spotlight - The Riflemen

Ubisoft's Tom Clancy franchise has primarily leaned on first-person tactical shooters like Rainbow Six and Ghost Recon these past few years, but finally the company is branching out with EndWar, a console-specific real-time strategy game due early next year. EndWar envisions the US, Russia, and a united Europe in a near-future global conflict. The game uses a chessboard-style unit balance whereby the three factions all have the same individual units, so you'll have to leverage your tactical prowess against the equal armament of your enemies.

Ubisoft has provided a description of each of the three factions, along with specific details on their basic ground units, the riflemen.

RUSSIA

Now the world's largest supplier of oil, Russia has experienced an economic boom of epic proportions. It has used its newfound affluence to build up its military to levels beyond those of the Cold War and is once again a true superpower in the world arena.

Spetznaz Guard Brigade

Soldier for soldier, there is no force on the planet that can match the Spetznaz Guard Brigade in terms of raw brute force. Its members are all hardened veterans of Russia's many regional conflicts. Some say that these brigades are made up of people who have seen too much of war and have lost any regard for human life. While this may be true, the Spetznaz Guard Brigade is a highly effective, determined, and deadly force. Its focus is on heavy weapons and heavy armor. They are also excellent and modifying what equipment they have on hand to suit their needs, so their vehicles often bristle with bolted-on weaponry that the original designer never intended or even dreamed of including.

SPZ - Rifleman - Wolves

Micro Summary: The Spetsnaz Guard Brigade Wolves may very well be the single most feared military unit in the entire world. Known for their ruthlessness and brutality, the soldiers who make up this elite group have seen so much of war that they've grown accustomed to its horrors.

Summary: It is without a doubt that the Russian Spetsnaz Guard Brigade Wolves believe it is better to be feared than to be loved. They are known for their toughness, brutality, and ruthlessness in combat. This has led to many critics who say that the Wolves are little more than sociopaths and thugs who enjoy killing. However, this criticism is both unfair and untrue. The men and women who make up this group have just seen so much conflict and war that what is considered inhuman to others no longer fazes them. Also, considering them just "thugs" would be a fatal mistake because they are among the most skilled and experienced soldiers in the world.

Tech Commentary: Russia decided to stay with what works. The AK-74 and its variants are still in use in 2020, despite being a design that was created in 1974. A number of improvements have been made upon its 5.45mm ammunition, but the rifle itself is essentially unchanged. The only difference is that now an array of attachments are easily installed on the weapon and the muzzle brake has been improved.

Snipers in the Wolves are armed with the OSV-120 sniper rifle. This is the newest and most advanced rifle in the SPZ arsenal. When evaluating weapons for SPZ use no existing designs met its requirements for a high-caliber sniper rifle. This led to the development of the OSV-120 in 2009. The design was finalized in 2016. Since then, the weapon has gained a reputation for reliability and accuracy.

SPZ armor is worn on the inside of the uniform rather than the outside. The armor itself is heavy and can be both uncomfortable and difficult to move around in. It also gives SPZ soldiers a large, bulky look. This, combined with the tenacity and determination of your average Wolves soldier, can make an SPZ charge a very fearsome sight.

Primary Armament: AK-74 and variants, OSV-120 12.7mm sniper rifle.
Special Features: Can take advantage of cover, garrison buildings, can capture uplink points.

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Once strong allies, the US has broken ranks with the EU due to a controversial and costly military space race. This rivalry peaks when the US prepares to launch the Freedom Star, an orbital space station that will upset the balance of power.

Joint Strike Force This group of elite soldiers is modeled after today's Marine Expeditionary Units, which are known for their integration of air and ground combat elements. The Joint Strike Force (JSF) excels in precision firepower and is capable of rapid deployment anywhere in the world. Epitomizing the saying, "high speed, low drag," the JSF is built around small, fast, and light units. It also specializes in state-of-the-art stealth technology and battlefield robotics. The JSF has access to unmanned aerial vehicles, automated sentry drones, and state-of-the-art stealth technology.

JSF - Infantry - Rifleman

Micro Summary: The standard JSF Rifleman is anything but standard. They come from all branches of the military, such as the Army Rangers, Navy SEALs, and Ghost Recon. Every JSF Rifleman undergoes a one-of-a-kind advanced training school developed by U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) that further hones their impressive abilities to a razor's edge.

Summary: Soldiers come from every branch of the US military to become a member of the JSF. If you walk into any JSF barracks, you'll see men and women from Marine Force Recon, Navy SEALs, Army Rangers, Green Berets, Air Force Pararescuemen (PJs), and even Ghost Recon teams. This means that many fresh JSF recruits have already undergone extensive training before they even put on the JSF uniforms. The purpose of JSF training is to unite all the different doctrines from other special operations unit into one, unified doctrine. JSF instructors have learned to glean the best parts of every special operations branch and implement it into JSF training.

Tech Commentary: JSF riflemen are armed with the Special Operations Forces Combat Assault Rifle Advance 1, or SCAR A1. The events which led up to the adoption of this weapon are actually quite controversial. The rifle itself is of Belgian origin and was originally designed in two variants, one chambered in 5.56mm NATO and another which used 7.62mm NATO cartridges.

The current SCAR A1 is essentially the same weapon, only it has been redesigned by a US company to chamber the newer 6.8mm cartridge. The US claimed that the SCAR A1 is a different weapon with its own patent due to the changes US arms makers implemented to enable the weapon to chamber the 6.8mm round. This claim infuriated the original manufacturers of the weapon and numerous lawsuits followed, none of which have been settled. Despite its rocky adoption, the SCAR A1 has proven to be a formidable rifle and a marked improvement over the US Military's previous weapon systems.

JSF riflemen are fully wired and carry the latest in communications gear and body armor, all of which is a direct descendent of the Land Warrior program. JSF snipers have access to semiautomatic .50 caliber sniper rifles, which can be upgraded to use anti-material shells for additional firepower.

Primary Armament: SCAR A1/M120 .50 Caliber Rifle
Special Features: Can take advantage of cover, garrison buildings, can capture uplink points.

EUROPEAN FEDERATION

The European Federation is a superpower entity that was formed in the wake of the nuclear war between Iran and Saudi Arabia in 2016 and the ensuing energy catastrophe. These events required all of Europe, with the exception of the UK and Ireland, to band together and resulted in the creation of a single, unified nation. Enforcers Corps Consummate professionals, the European Federation Enforcers Corps is made up of veteran elite counterterrorist and peacekeeping forces from throughout Europe. Calm and precise, these highly trained and experienced soldiers are especially skilled in urban warfare. While their weaponry may not be as "dead on" precise as those of the JSF and their units are slightly less armored, they excel in electronic warfare, as well as advanced directed energy weapons technology and have faster vehicles. The Enforcers Corps also have access to the world's best "less than lethal" weaponry.

EUR - Infantry - Rifleman

Micro Summary: Being a Kommando in the Enforcers Corps is considered one of the highest honors a soldier can have in Europe. The Enforcers Corps excel in urban and counterterrorism tactics and many of its founders and ranking officers are former Rainbow Six members.

Summary: The Enforcers Corps Kommandos includes members that come from many elite special operations groups. This variety is considered an advantage by European commanders. Kommando units are encouraged to stick with the tactics and doctrines of their original units rather than conform to one universal rule set. This means one group of Enforcers Corps Kommandos may behave and function in a manner that is radically different from another. European commanders feel that this will help keep their enemies off balance and allow for more specialized deployments. All Enforcers Corps battalions excel in urban and counterterrorist operations.

Tech Commentary: Various conflicts in the late 20th and early 21st century showed how lacking the 5.56mm NATO round was. When the European Federation broke away from NATO, it was decided that the Enforcers Corps needed to adopt a new rifle cartridge. Ironically, the Europeans decided to go with a 7mm NATO round that is actually a modernized version of a .280 caliber round created in the late 1940s. Immediately after the decision was made to adopt this cartridge, manufacturers in Belgium (E3000 Carbine), France (FMS AG2 Assault Rifle), and Austria (UAR 7 Bullpup Support Weapon) began mass production of 7mm weapons earmarked for Enforcers Corps Kommandos use.

Tactics and strategies vary from one Enforcers Corps Kommando group to another. European commanders see this as an asset because enemies are always kept on their toes and individual groups are able to make a niche for their abilities, as well as make a name for themselves. The Enforcers Corps Kommandos are especially known for their superb skill in urban combat. Few soldiers can match their ability to storm buildings and secure uplinks. Much of this is due to the dissemination of CQC tactics from a large pool of elite urban combat and counterterrorist groups, such as GSG-9 and GIGN. The fact that the Enforcer Corps are in many ways a descendant of Rainbow Six also furthers this strength.

Members of the Enforcers Corps Kommandos pride themselves on their professionalism and hold themselves up to a very high standard. In a sense, they are the perfect modern-day embodiment of the medieval knight: chivalrous, brave, and steadfast in their beliefs. However, this should not be mistaken for softness. Enforcers Crops Kommandos are capable of carrying out their orders with chilling efficiency and are not afraid to make sacrifices for the "greater good."

Primary Armament: E3000 Assault Rifle/UAR 7 Bullpup Assault Rifle/ JO-2 .50 Caliber Sniper Rifle
Special Features: Can take advantage of cover, garrison buildings, can capture uplink points.