Estneria
-------------

Estneria was an eastern European country located in the Balkan regions and was bordered by Katzenstok and Ovitznia. The country used to be connected to Katzenstok by means of a gold bridge that spanned the river separating the two countries, but the bridge's destruction resulted in hostilities of the two countries towards one another. The only item that prevented an all-out war was a crystal scepter, called The Scepter of the Valley, that was the last surviving relic of the golden bridge.

When the scepter was stolen, the two countries blamed each other for theft at the United Nations and threatened war. In response, the United Nations asked the Road Rovers to assist in the recovery of the scepter. It was found that the scepter was in fact stolen by the rogue state of Ovitznia, which intended to start a war so it could sell arms to the two countries and then take them over once both states had obliterated each other.

Thanks to the Road Rovers, the scepter was recovered and returned to Estneria and Katzenstok. It's return caused the golden bridge to reappear and usher in peace in the region. Estneria was then merged with its two neighbors to form a single, peaceful country.

Katzenstok
-----------------

Katzenstok was an eastern European country located in the Balkan regions and was bordered by Estneria and Ovitznia. The country used to be connected to Estneria by means of a gold bridge that spanned the river separating the two countries, but the bridge's destruction resulted in hostilities of the two countries towards one another. The only item that prevented an all-out war was a crystal scepter, called The Sceptre of the Valley, that was the last surviving relic of the golden bridge.

When the scepter was stolen, the two countries blamed each other for theft at the United Nations and threatened war. In response, the United Nations asked the Road Rovers to assist in the recovery of the scepter. It was found that the scepter was in fact stolen by the rogue state of Ovitznia, which intended to start a war so it could sell arms to the two countries and then take them over once both states had obliterated each other.

Thanks to the Road Rovers, the scepter was recovered and returned to Estneria and Katzenstok. It's return caused the golden bridge to reappear and usher in peace in the region. Katzenstok was then merged with its two neighbors to form a single, peaceful country.

Ovitznia
------------

Ovitznia was an eastern European country located in the Balkan regions and was bordered by Katzenstok and Estneria. Unlike its neighbors, Ovitznia was a failed state run by military forces under the command of warlord Colonel Gustav Havoc. From the remote country Havoc sold arms to other countries as Ovitznia's primary source of income while his forces oppressed the country so much that many villages in the mountainous region had become abandoned.

At one point Havoc's stole the Scepter of the Valley is order to plunge its neighbors into a war with each other, after which Ovitznian forces would sweep in and take over the ruined countries. This plan was stopped when the Road Rovers recovered the scepter and United Nations forces arrested Havoc.

Following Havoc's fall, Ovitznia's military forces were disarmed and the country incorporated into a unified Katzenstok and Estneria.

Frazakhastan
--------------------

Frazakhastan is a small pair of islands off the coast of Russia in the Arctic circle, specifically near the Northern Cape. Originally it was just a simple, isolated island with a single city and small number of people until the Soviet Union began to use it as a major nuclear weapons site. In order to save on expenses, the island's locals were recruited in the handling of the weapons and their storing.

This decision would later come back to haunt the USSR when separatists seized control of the islands and declared autonomy from the Soviet Union. Despite threats of invasions, the Russians would not dare invade the country due to the large stocks of nuclear weapons that the separatists threatened to use to resist the Russians. Later Moscow and the separatists agreed to grant Frazakhastan a form of autonomy.

Suddenly in the mid-1970s the KH Military under the leadership of General Franco launched a surprise attack upon Frazakhastan. The separatist forces were quickly annihilated and its nuclear arsenal seized by the KH Military. At first the USSR tried to negotiate with the KH Military, but after word of Franco's "Nuclear Storm" plans leaked out the Soviets instead turned to the Earth Defence Force. A single EDF strike force led by Striker and Mark Norwood succeeded in neutralizing the entire nuclear arsenal on the island, making it save for the Russians to invade Frazakhastan.

Following the island's liberation, the Soviet Union took revenge on the separatists. The country's entire populace was deported, with most being sent to remote areas and some even reported to have been executed. Afterwards the island was reoccupied and re-incorporated into the Soviet Union. Following the breakup of the USSR, Frazakhastan became (and still is today) a neutral territory with most of the islands turned into nature resorts and a minor military and civilian presence. (submitted by Gerhard Naudé)

Jova Island Chain
---------------------------

The Jova Island Chain is a cluster of small islands located in the South China Sea that were formed from an extinct volcano. Originally an important port of call for ancient Chinese shipping vessels, the islands were colonized by Britain until after the end of World War II. As soon as the British left, Jova was taken over by various Chinese crime families, who made use of the weapons left behind by the former colonial power.

Following years of ongoing mafia wars, the leader of one family, Shanghai Hwong, eventually managed to consolidate the feuding families into a single crime organization called the Octo Cartel. From that point on crime escalated in and around the islands as the cartel engaged in all manner of criminal activity, ranging from piracy and gun running to drug smuggling and human trafficking.

Despite several attempts by international crime-fighting organizations and regional governments to get rid of the cartel, the island's location and the military weapons possessed by the syndicate rendered it almost immune to any form of law enforcement.

The situation changed in the mid 2000s when the Octo Cartel was linked to a nuclear explosion in Paris aimed at triggering a war between North and South Korea. An incursion by Unit STRIKE removed Shanghai Hwong from power, after which the islands were invaded by a combined US/French/Korean task force. Despite putting up some resistance, most of the syndicate surrendered or fled after many of their weapons and bases were destroyed in bombardments.

Today the islands are under the mandate of a United Nations peacekeeping force aimed at establishing a full-fledged democracy in Jova and preventing it from being used as a crime base again. (submitted by Gerhard Naudé)

Malcoria
-------------

Achieving independence shortly after World War 1, the small nation of Malcoria is located along the Black Sea between Romania, Moldova and Ukraine. Establishing itself as a monarchy it flourished in the era between the world wars. Occupied without a fight by Nazi Germany and used as a staging area for the invasion of the Soviet Union, the people of Malcoria endured as best they could. Evacuated by Nazi troops later in the war, the Soviet Union bypassed Malcoria, much to their relief; however it was occupied again during the Cold War.

The Soviet leadership saw no practical use for the nation and was left alone during the Cold War and the monarchy was allowed to stay, with a Soviet boss overseeing them. Achieving independence again when the Soviet Union fell, Malcoria was not the same country that it's founders got.

Malcoria almost became the next Bosnia when a Civil War broke out between the forces loyal to the monarch and a rebellion led by Huran Dula aka Black Gun. Mr. Dula orchestrated a plot to kidnap the son of the king, however the royal nurse took the baby and fled to America, handed the royal child to the Maddogs and was never seen again. The Maddogs traveled to Malcoria to return the baby only to be captured by Dula's forces. They soon took back the young infant and captured Dula. With him arrested the civil war ended.

Later Huran escaped with his younger brother, and hitman for hire, Harjo in an airplane; however the plane crashed and the brothers were rescued by Malcorian resident and former Soviet robotics expert Sergey Talinsky. Horrified by who he'd rescued Dr. Talinsky did what he could to help the Maddogs and Grizzlies to capture them. The brothers got away and soon found themselves bound to General Parvo, who planned to take over Malcoria by kidnapping the new king-to-be and his bride. Again the Maddogs were called to help and the threat of Parvo was neutralized when he got away and the Dula Bros. minds scrambled beyond recovery, or so it was thought before the GONV Crisis.

During the GONV Crisis Malcoria's military was wiped out and the country occupied. The GONV and the Dula's were soon neutralized and rebuilding commenced. Just months later King Alexander was assassinated by Alura, Queen of the Werewolves and its citizens made into werewolves. A desperate fight occured in the Black Sea itself to take care of this threat as well. The citizens were soon cured from being werewolves and the new King William sought to rebuild his shattered country. (Submitted by Greg Williams)

Rabu
--------

Located on the Arabian peninsula between the countries of Oman and Yemen, Rabu established itself as a Muslim democracy shortly after the turn of the 21st century. Invaded by a Parvo-backed former Iraqi general named Hassan Kali-Baba aka The Madman, Rabu swiftly fell like a second Kuwait. At least a dozen carrier task forces from several countries converged to stop his threats. Kali-Baba did not have a chance under such weight and soon died a Goldfinger-like end. The government of Rabu was reestablished and the country now flourishes. (Submitted by Greg Williams)

Tanawei
-------------

Located in the Pacific, Tanawei is actually three island; Tanawei, Sentinel and Zephyr. Tanawei and Sentinel were used by American forces during World War 2 to strike at Japanese bases on Wake, the Caroline and Mariana island chains. A Japanese company tried to turn Zephyr into a hotel resort years later, but the company could not make a got of it. It was then occupied by the Black Gun terrorist organization led by Omar, an Ethiopian Wolf-sapien. The Sea Rovers worked with the KH Military under a flag of truce to take down this threat. Black Gun was soon disbanded and Omar captured. Future plans for this island group are unknown. (Submitted by Greg Williams)

Ivanoff
-----------

Located in the Chukchi Sea above the artic circle, just off the Siberian coast, Ivanoff was a wildlife sanctuary until the arrival of industrialist Ruth Gabriel. Claiming she bought the island legally she planned to turn it into a dumping ground. It was later revealed she unknowingly "bought" the island from General Parvo. The arrival of the Ursa Majors and an away team from the Sea Rovers disrupted and her plans and soon completely derailed them. Miss Gabriel was soon arrested by the Russian government and the island saved from destruction. (Submitted by Greg Williams)