The world of Overkill is a hostile place. After the Global Seismic Catastrophe, more commonly known as the Seismic Nightmare, life on Earth turned to hell. The exact story has long been forgotten, but the most frequently told legends speak of hundreds of super-powered seismic devices being deployed all over the world and then activated at once. What followed wasn’t far from the biblical Apocalypse.
When the devices started pulsing underground, they not only destroyed cities in the close vicinity, but the massive seismic pulses on global scale created a subterranean shock-wave that activated nearly every volcano on Earth. The Yellowstone Supervolcano was the worst of them all. It turned half of America into wasteland in just a few days. With volcanoes erupting all around the globe, producing a never-ending stream of ash, hot lava and suffocating sulfur, the climate began to change. Water reserves evaporated into atmosphere. Whole rivers were filled with lava and transformed into black, lifeless highways. For some reason the water never came back from the sky. It almost never rained. People were dying by thousands from diseases, hunger, and thirst every day.
Civilization has collapsed and the survival of the fittest became a painful everyday reality. When you didn’t have water, you were doomed to certain death. When you had water, you were hunted and killed.
WHO ARE THE FACTION ANYWAY?
Then Faction came. Out of nowhere. Offering safety, strict rule of law, food ratios, medication and most of all: fresh water. This was the beacon of hope everybody was dreaming about. A miracle. It seemed too good to be true, but people jumped the chance to be saved. Only a small few questioned the origins of Faction. How come they were so organized and well equipped for exactly these conditions? Where were they getting the supplies of fresh water? Was it possible THEY were the ones who orchestrated the Nightmare in the first place?
Some weak evidence suggested exactly that, but people wouldn’t listen. They were ready for salvation. And could they really be blamed for it after enduring chaos for years? So Faction got new recruits and followers everywhere they came. Their numbers grew exponentially, gaining power and influence. Humanity seemed to be restored. Only one problem: Turns out they are the bad guys. With enough manpower they quickly became the despotic and dictatorial rulers. Follow and obey or be destroyed is their motto. And they are ready to eradicate every single man and woman who even thinks against them.
RECRUITING FACTION SOLDIERS
The recruiting process is simple. Anyone may volunteer to be drafted in hopes of securing food, water, housing and safety for themselves. It is believed and claimed that everybody gets accepted. It is well known this is a one way ticket. There’s no way back. What is less known, is that everybody deemed not fitting to be a Faction soldier - too old or too weak - is discharged immediately, with a bullet to the head. This is the day one sorting.
A month long merciless training follows. It revolves around excessive physical strain and mental mutilation through sleep deprivation and constant pro-Faction conditioning. Those unable to continue the training, the weaklings, are continuously weeded out - with a bullet to the head. Those who finish the training (and there’s not many of them from the original “batch”) undergo one final rite of passage during which the last signs of humanity left in them is crushed. They must fight each other to the death. One on one, using only their bare hands. The survivors - the killers - become Faction soldiers. No conscience, total obedience and nothing left to live for. Men and women turned into perfect killing machines.
WOLF
Right out of the training, Wolf is your common grunt. Ever since John Scully has kick-started the Resistance and we fight back, these guys have a very short life span.
WARDOG
Wolves who survive long enough in the service are promoted to WARDOGS. They are given armor and Faction’s trademark assault rifle. Handle with care.
BEAST
Beasts are the absolute cream of the Faction’s army. Comfortably engulfed in heavy armor, Beasts are able to take incredible amounts of damage almost without noticing. Oh, and they got heavy machine guns too. So you can be darn sure they’ll be dishing out insane amounts of damage as well.
SILKWORM
The Faction does not discriminate and neither should you. Silkworms have been through the same recruiting hell as other Faction soldiers, so they will have no mercy for you. In fact, you’ll want to make the Silkworm your top priority target, because these female snipers can shoot you even in cover.
Of course not every soldier is the same. More experienced soldiers have higher ranks, which are shown by their uniform. Needless to say, seasoned fighters will prove more challenging when confronted in battle. Faction also has a huge number of war machinery, which include buggies, robots and other bizarre machines. But more about that later.