Hows this. Both factions are in the solar system only. So a rough map of our setting is the Sol system in the centre, with my two factions in there, with all the other factions arranged around it. BTW, i think we should do the realistic thing, and have planets be the only territory, with no national borders marked over random patches of space. And have the planets as far apart on the map as they are in reality.
I have taken it upon myself to decide what happens between the real present day and the games present day, and to say what has happened to earth. If that bugs someone, let me know.
Jeffe - i tried to write in the origins of your faction into it. Even though japan is more likely to join with america, i think i explained what would cause a asia wide alliance. But i think that for the dates to align, either you will have to change it so that the asian colonists left during the early 22nd century (before ww3) or i will have to push the dates back. Your call i guess.
Faction number 1 : the Anglosphere Alliance (AA)
The special bond between the UK and the US, developed during the (first) two world wars, and the commonwealth's relationship with the UK, combined during the early 21st century to create the Anglosphere Alliance - a loose union of the United Kingdom and all the english speaking countries it created during its colonial phase. In total, this comprised of the UK, US, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and, after much debate, Israel. The last was only admitted after the "middle east" problem was brought to an end. This union was strengthened even further by the war with china that started in 2048, as forces from all over the alliance helped repel Peoples Army troops from Taiwan and Japan. The fighting lasted for decades, so that by the end of the war (2095) the anglosphere countries were well used to constant communication. Nothing like external stress to force people to work together. The asian co-prosperity sphere was created by the anglo sphere, in order to prevent another china war - they did not want to have a chinese hitler rise to power.
Since then, the anglosphere has helped to colonise near space, and carry out research programs, but their heart was not into it for a long time. Focusing on the treats on earth, they let independant movements and corporations take the human seed further afield (talk about dodgy analogies) while the AA built up its strength on earth and tried to put an end to the worlds problems in africa and more. This all changed in the late 22nd century, as the European Union finally began to collapse. Corruption, economic unviability, and cultural dominance by the AA all helped to cripple the federal government of Europe, meaning that the sicilian warlord Scipio was able to begin empire building.
Faction 2 : La Rinascita di Forza (RF) (means 'The Rebirth of Strength')
The sicilian Scipio had inaspacious roots. The son of a dustbin man, he underachieved in school and never went to university. His mother named him Scipio at birth, in the hope he would bring the same glory to Italy as did Scipio Africanus. He joined the Italian branch of the federal european army, and was trained as a infantryman. As the EU slowly stagnated and turned into a pool of corruption and economic blight, he began to gain popularity with his fellow squaddies with his belief that this was the result of a weak, foolish leadership (true) that could only be recovered by the purging of those weak by the strong and capable, those who could, and now should, take action into their own hands. In other words, a military coup. He was a charismatic man, who spoke wire fire and intensity. 4 years after enlisting, he had his entire companies rank and file troops support. The commanders, too busy smoking and reading porn magazines to notice, would not have cared in any case. Thus they were caught by total surprise when he walked into their mess with his closest comrades, and shot them. 2 more companies of Italian infantry were sent to take him under arrest, but they had been in close contact with his company and so, instead of capturing him, they joined him. Within months, Scipio controlled most of Italy. He poured vast amounts of the tax income of the regions he controlled into the army, in order to keep his rate of advance going.