History Fanfic / Worldfall

* DoomsdayDevice: The Russian Project Drob', which is ground-based Nuclear Explosively Formed Penetrator that can slam tungsten penetrators into enemy ships at relativistic speed. The problem is that shallow detonation of multiple 100 megaton warheads will cause catastrophic damage to the biosphere, thus it was considered as absolute last resort in case [[OrionDrive Archangel and Bog-ubiytsa]] doesn't work and the war is going ''badly'' for humans.

[[https://forums.spacebattles.com/threads/worldfall-worldwar-footfall-fusion.552354/ Worldfall]] is a {{Crossover}} between Literature/{{Worldwar}} and Literature/{{Footfall}}.

{{Needs Wiki Magic Love}}

* AlternateHistory: The PointOfDivergence is in late 2014, when the [[Literature/{{Footfall}} Thuktun Flishity]] is discovered by astronomers across the planet. It only snowballs from there. It also serves as an alternate continuity for both Worldwar and Footfall.

** The other recipients of the trope, the Italians, don't get much screentime, but it's mentioned that the post-Footfall Race invasion of Sicily is destroyed by the defenders thanks to judicious use of the local hilly terrain (that the Italian army is especially suited for) and Mount Etna's eruption.

** The Race invasion of Sicily was destroyed by nothing more than [[HomeFieldAdvantage the Italians fighting with their usual weapons on the hill/mountain terrain mix their army and tactics are uniquely adapted to]].

** The Race's post-Footfall offensive runs into ''three'' of them: while their assault on the Iberian peninsula (the weakest defended and most devastated area) is simply heavily opposed, the assault on France is devastated, with the attack force on Lyon (200,000 troopmales) being ''completely wiped out'' by [[spoiler:[[DeadlyGas nerve gas]]]], the invasion of Sicily runs in the army most adapted to fight on hilly/mountain terrain, and the invasion of the US suffers a devastating defeat in the Battle of Route 55. While only the invasion of Italy is completely repulsed, the force in the US is shaken by the defeat, and the one in France has lost 10% of its forces in a single battle and [[ShockingDefeatLegacy and is psychologically broken by the tales of the few survivors]].

* HomeFieldAdvantage: Humanity takes extreme advantage of the fact the Race isn't used to fight in wet climates and away from plains. Especially notable in Sicily, where the Race invasion is destroyed/repulsed in ''days'' by the Italians taking advantage of their country's mix of hill and mountain terrain and having built their war machines to fight in it.

* MassOhCrap: Humanity's reaction when they learn [[spoiler: a hopped up on ginger Straha is now in control of both invasion fleets and is planning to use [[ColonyDrop the foot]] to bombard earth]]

* NukeEm: Used to an alarming extent during the war. First, the Race detonates several nuclear weapons in Earth's upper atmosphere in an attempt to take out human electronics. It fails, and the Race get a taste of human anti-orbital weaponry when a Russian ICBM destroys one of their starships. [[spoiler: When the Fithp arrive in orbit, spacecraft placed in orbit by the US fire a dozen nuclear weapons at their mothership. Most are shot down, but the ''Thuktun Flishity'' is damaged enough to warrant a retreat behind the moon for repairs. Straha also attempts this trope when he deposes Atvar, sending killercraft to nuke Rome, Tehran, and several other human cities. Fortunately, all of them are shot down by Fithp orbital lasers and human defenses. Later on in the war, when the Fithp make landfall in India, the government is forced to ask Pakistan and China to launch missiles at the Fithp in order to overwhelm their absurd anti-missile defenses. It works, but Delhi and Mumbai are lost as a result. Finally, nukes start to fly like crazy in the space combat between the Archangel Michael and the invaders]]. Might be regarded as the NuclearOption instead.

* CheeseEatingSurrenderMonkeys: Spectacularly averted: when the Race finally manages to invade France after Footfall, the French give them a horrifying beating even before [[spoiler:they start using [[DeadlyGas Nerve Gas.]] ]]
* [[spoiler: ColonyDrop: Straha orders the Fithp to drop two asteroids in the Gulf of Mexico and the Mediterrian Sea]]

* CheeseEatingSurrenderMonkeys: Spectacularly averted: when the Race finally manages to invade France after Footfall, the French give them a horrifying beating even before [[spoiler:they start using DeadlyGas]].

[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11012702/1/Worldfall-A-Timeline-of-the-Race-and-Fithp-Invasion-of-2020 Worldfall: A Timeline of the Race and Fithp Invasion of 2020]] is a {{Crossover}} between Literature/{{Worldwar}} and Literature/{{Footfall}}.

* AmericaSavesTheDay: Played with. Although the US fares the best during the war, most of the fighting is done by other countries, like Russia and India. However, it does send a Carrier Battle Group to India, and [[spoiler: plays a huge role in OPERATION: ENDGAME, as the Archangel Michael was constructed on US soil]].
* BadassArmy: Just about any human military, as they had around six years to prepare for the invasion. During the Race attack on China, human tanks maintain a kill/death ratio of 6:1
* {{BFG}}: The US develops its railgun program and starts constructing large batteries of them across the country, with Russia following suit. They prove to be very effective, [[spoiler: they manage to shoot down several Race starships and Fithp digit ships, as well as succeeding in lightly damaging the Thuktun Flishithy. They prove dangerous enough [[MomentOfAwesome that the Fithp, who are the masters of orbital bombardment and completely dominate the skies over much of the world, are forced to declare no-fly zones over the US and Russia]]!]] Needless to say, the Herdmaster isn't amused.

* BreakTheHaughty: The Race, ''big time''. They came to Earth believing themselves to be the most advanced and developed species in the universe, and face the grim reality when the war begins. [[spoiler: By the time the war ends, over 40 million males are dead, leaving less than a tenth of the Conquest Fleet's troops alive. Except for the 127th Emperor Hetto, the ''entire Conquest Fleet'' was destroyed]]. Break the haughty indeed.
* ColonyDrop: [[spoiler: As per canon (one of them, anyway), Footfall occurs. However, it is a much smaller detonation due to the Fithp being rushed into combat by their discovery, and it instead strikes the Mediterranean. However, it is still a 300 megaton impact that washes away the entire islands of Corsica and Sardinia, as well as several major cities on the coastline. Straha threatens to do this to the rest of the planet, but is defeated before he can act out his threat]].
* CurbStompBattle: The Race is on the receiving end of this from both humans and Fithp once the war starts. The industrialized nations of Earth prove to far superior on the ground, and the Race's weaponless ships are nothing but cannon fodder for the monstrous Thuktun Flishithy. [[spoiler: It is only through Straha's capture of the Fithp via deceit that the Race even stands a snowball's chance in hell of winning]].
* DeathFromAbove: The Fithp specialize in this, using a mixture of space-based lasers and orbital bombardment to dominate the skies over lesser-developed nations and cripple their infrastructure, respectively. [[spoiler: After Straha gains control over the Fithp, he takes the Foot (which is smaller in the story than in canon due to the Fithp having less time to prepare for the attack), and slams it into the Western Mediterranean as a prelude to a ''massive'' ground invasion of Southern Europe and North Africa]].
* DoNotAdjustYourSet: [[spoiler: Straha delivers an ultimatum to the governments of Earth this way after Footfall occurs, threatening to essentially bombard humanity out of existence if they don't surrender to him. It backfires. Badly]].
* EasilyThwartedAlienInvasion: Played with. Although the humans are able to dominate the Race on the ground and deal a crushing defeat to the Fithp in India, [[spoiler: the alliance between the Fithp and the Race is able to pose a very real threat. They manage to completely devastate Southern Europe and North Africa during Footfall, and succeed in conquering half of Africa before OPERATION: ENDGAME]].

* EnemyMine: The threat posed by the Race and the Fithp is enough to make countries that dislike or outright despise each other work together. Most of the nations of Africa formed a united military, and [[spoiler: Pakistan helps India dislodge the Fithp by firing their nuclear arsenal at the country in tandem with China in order to overwhelm their point-defense systems]].
* FrickinLaserBeams: The Fithp use this in spades. They are used realistically, serving as anti-missile defenses capable of swatting down [=ICBMs=]. The US also develops the YAL-1 laser during the six-year preparation for the invaders, and it is implied Russia does so as well. [[spoiler: The Archangel Michael has gamma-ray lasers capable of one-shotting Fithp digit ships and Race starships]].
* GodzillaThreshold: Multiple times during the story. The discovery that the aliens are not friendly crosses the threshold and causes enemy nations to work together to prepare against the invaders. Later on in the war, [[spoiler: India is forced to ask Pakistan, one of its bitterest enemies, to launch nuclear missiles at the Fithp on their home soil in order to dislodge them. After Atvar is deposed by Straha, he crosses the threshold and surrenders an entire starship to the US in order to guarantee the safety of the Colonization Fleet. Finally, the events of Footfall forces the US and other nations to enact OPERATION: ENDGAME, which includes ''18 million'' Russian troops pouring into Europe and the launch of the Archangel Michael]].

* InvadedStatesOfAmerica: Attempted, but surprisingly averted.
* KineticWeaponsAreJustBetter: A downplayed example. Although all sides primarily use kinetic weaponry, the humans and Fithp also heavily rely on lasers for point-defense, and [[spoiler: the Archangel Michael uses gamma-ray lasers to devastating effect]].
* KnowWhenToFoldEm:
** [[spoiler:After getting curbstomped by the Fithp, Atvar decides to retreat to Mars, refuel via the ice there, then turn both the Conquest and Colonization Fleets around and go Home. Unfortunately for the Race, Straha seizes control of the Conquest Fleet through a vote of no confidence in Atvar. At this point, Atvar then surrenders himself and his ship to the Americans in order to insure the later survival of the Colonization Fleet.]]
** [[spoiler:After the ''Archangel Michael'' wipes out the Conquest Fleet and starts attacking the ''Thuktun Flishity'', former herdmaster Pastempeh-keph ''snaps'', kills Straha, and orders the surrender of the ship before the heavily armed Earth ship can destroy them.]]

* ThePoorMansAtomicBomb: During OPERATION: ENDGAME, chemical weapons are used heavily by human forces against the Race to devastating effect.

* SpaceFillingEmpire: All over the place in the epilogue with the post-war power blocs -- Russia, renamed the Eurasian Federation, absorbs all of its Soviet era territory (minus East Germany) plus Afghanistan, Iraq, and Iran; the rest of Europe becomes UnitedEurope; China absorbs most of mainland East Asia; India expands to absorb much of the remaining Middle East; Egypt and Sudan (except Darfur, which secedes as a free state) unite as the Nile Republic; the rest of North Africa becomes the nation of Sahara; what's left of the continent becomes the African Confederacy; and in the most egregious example, [[ExpandedStatesOfAmerica the United States expands]] to include pretty much the whole Western Hemisphere, becoming the United States of ''the'' America'''s'''. [[FlyoverCountry No mention is made of the Pacific nations.]]
* TankGoodness: Human tanks prove to be far superior to Race landcruisers. The US actually develops two new tanks for the war, the M2 Abrams and the M3 "Ike".
* VillainousBreakdown: [[spoiler: During Operation Endgame, Straha loses his shit completely as he realizes that the supposed "primitive" humans are about to wipe out what's left of the Conquest Fleet.]]

* KnowWhenToFoldEm: [[spoiler: After getting curbstomped by the Fithp, Atvar decides to retreat to Mars, refuel via the ice there, then turn both the Conquest and Colonization Fleets around and go Home. Unfortunately for the Race, Straha seizes control of the Conquest Fleet through a vote of no confidence in Atvar. At this point, Atvar then surrenders himself and his ship to the Americans in order to insure the later survival of the Colonization Fleet.]]

* {{EMP}}: As per canon, the Race detonates several nuclear bombs in Earth's atmosphere in order to take out their electronics. Unfortunately for them, Earth [[GenreSavvy saw this coming]], and spent six years hardening their electronics against such an assault. Ultimately, only the poorer nations on Earth are actually affected.

* DoNotAdjustYourSet: [[spoiler: Straha delivers an ultimatum to the governments of Earth this way after Footfall occurs, threatening to essentially bombard humanity out of existence if they don't surrender to him. [[{{Understatement}} It backfires]]. Badly]].

----

* SpaceFillingEmpire: All over the place in the epilogue with the post-war power blocs.

* {{BFG}}: The US develops its railgun program and starts constructing large batteries of them across the country, with Russia following suit. They prove to be very effective, [[spoiler: they manage to shoot down several Race starships and Fithp digit ships, as well as succeeding in lightly damaging the Thuktun Flishithy. They prove dangerous enough [[MomentOfAwesome that the Fithp, who are the masters of orbital bombardment and completely dominate the skies over much of the world, are forced to declare no-fly zones over the US and Russia]]!]] Needless to say, the Herdmaster isn't amused]].

* CurbstompBattle: The Race is on the receiving end of this from both humans and Fithp once the war starts. The industrialized nations of Earth prove to far superior on the ground, and the Race's weaponless ships are nothing but cannon fodder for the monstrous Thuktun Flishithy. [[spoiler: It is only through Straha's capture of the Fithp via deceit that the Race even stands a snowball's chance in hell of winning]].

* FrickinLaserBeams: The Fithp use this in spades. They are used realistically, serving as anti-missile defenses capable of swatting down ICBMs. The US also develops the YAL-1 laser during the six-year preparation for the invaders, and it is implied Russia does so as well. [[spoiler: The Archangel Michael has gamma-ray lasers capable of one-shotting Fithp digit ships and Race starships]].

* InsufficientlyAdvancedAlien: The Race and Fithp are this to the humanity of 2020. The only technological advantage either side holds is in regards to space travel, like fusion drives and cryogenic hibernation. The United Nations even points this out when they attempt diplomacy with the Race, stating that they are willing to trade their knowledge of genetics, nanotechnology, and other sciences to the Race in exchange for the fusion drive. Unfortunately, Atvar doesn't bite, stating that he has never heard of nanotechnology, and believes it to be a hoax]].

* ThePoorMansAtomBomb: During OPERATION: ENDGAME, chemical weapons are used heavily by human forces against the Race to devastating effect.

When astronomers discover a fusion flame on the edge of the solar system, the world becomes abuzz with the possibility of alien contact. Confusion and panic begins, however, when several hundred more are discovered coming in from a different direction than the first one. The world finally begins to prepare for invasion when the Cassini probe photographs the [[Literature/{{Footfall}} first alien spacecraft]], revealing a mile-long spacecraft [[{{Oh Crap}} armed to the teeth]]. Thankfully, humanity will not give up without a fight, and has plenty of time to prepare for the invaders. Soon, a three-way war will begin between the Race, the Fithp, and Mankind.

* {{Adaptational Badass}}: Earth in general. It does ''far'' better in combat against the aliens than in either canon.
* {{Alien Catnip}}: Ginger is a narcotic to the Race, as per canon.
* {{Alien Invasion}}: Naturally. It features two of the most popular hard sci-fi alien invaders in literature, so it's to be expected.
* {{Alternate History}}: The point-of-divergence is in late 2014, when the [[Literature/{{Footfall}} Thuktun Flishity]] is discovered by astronomers across the planet. It only snowballs from there. It also serves as an alternate continuity for both Worldwar and Footfall.
* {{America Saves the Day}}: Played with. Although the US fares the best during the war, most of the fighting is done by other countries, like Russia and India. However, it does send a Carrier Battle Group to India, and [[spoiler: plays a huge role in OPERATION: ENDGAME, as the Archangel Michael was constructed on US soil]].
* {{Badass Army}}: Just about any human military, as they had around six years to prepare for the invasion. During the Race attack on China, human tanks maintain a kill/death ratio of 6:1
* {{BFG}}: The US develops its railgun program and starts constructing large batteries of them across the country, with Russia following suit. They prove to be very effective, [[spoiler: they manage to shoot down several Race starships and Fithp digit ships, as well as succeeding in lightly damaging the Thuktun Flishithy. They prove dangerous enough [[{{Crowning Moment of Awesome}} that the Fithp, who are the masters of orbital bombardment and completely dominate the skies over much of the world, are forced to declare no-fly zones over the US and Russia!]] Needless to say, the Herdmaster isn't amused]].
* {{Blue and Orange Morality}}: Both the Race and Fithp have differing moral values from humans. The Race doesn't have families and places more emphasis on friendship, while the Fithp are reflexively obedient to the winners of a war.
* {{Break Out the Museum Piece}}: The US recommissions and upgrades the Iowa-class battleships for combat against the invaders.
* {{Break The Haughty}}: The Race, ''big time''. They came to Earth believing themselves to be the most advanced and developed species in the universe, and face the grim reality when the war begins. [[spoiler: By the time the war ends, over 40 million males are dead, leaving less than a tenth of the Conquest Fleet's troops alive. Except for the 127th Emperor Hetto, the ''entire Conquest Fleet'' was destroyed]]. Break the haughty indeed.
* {{Colony Drop}}: [[spoiler: As per canon (one of them, anyway), Footfall occurs. However, it is a much smaller detonation due to the Fithp being rushed into combat by their discovery, and it instead strikes the Mediterranean. However, it is still a 300 megaton impact that washes away the entire islands of Corsica and Sardinia, as well as several major cities on the coastline. Straha threatens to do this to the rest of the planet, but is defeated before he can act out his threat]].
* {{Curbstomp Battle}}: The Race is on the receiving end of this from both humans and Fithp once the war starts. The industrialized nations of Earth prove to far superior on the ground, and the Race's weaponless ships are nothing but cannon fodder for the monstrous Thuktun Flishithy. [[spoiler: It is only through Straha's capture of the Fithp via deceit that the Race even stands a snowball's chance in hell of winning]].
* {{Death from Above}}: The Fithp specialize in this, using a mixture of space-based lasers and orbital bombardment to dominate the skies over lesser-developed nations and cripple their infrastructure, respectively. [[spoiler: After Straha gains control over the Fithp, he takes the Foot (which is smaller in the story than in canon due to the Fithp having less time to prepare for the attack), and slams it into the Western Mediterranean as a prelude to a ''massive'' ground invasion of Southern Europe and North Africa]].
* {{Do Not Adjust Your Set}}: [[spoiler: Straha delivers an ultimatum to the governments of Earth this way after Footfall occurs, threatening to essentially bombard humanity out of existence if they don't surrender to him. [[{{Understatement}} It backfires]]. Badly]].
* {{Easily Thwarted Alien Invasion}}: Played with. Although the humans are able to dominate the Race on the ground and deal a crushing defeat to the Fithp in India, [[spoiler: the alliance between the Fithp and the Race is able to pose a very real threat. They manage to completely devastate Southern Europe and North Africa during Footfall, and succeed in conquering half of Africa before OPERATION: ENDGAME]].
* {{EMP}}: As per canon, the Race detonates several nuclear bombs in Earth's atmosphere in order to take out their electronics. Unfortunately for them, Earth [[{{Genre Savvy}} saw this coming]], and spent six years hardening their electronics against such an assault. Ultimately, only the poorer nations on Earth are actually affected.
* {{Enemy Mine}}: The threat posed by the Race and the Fithp is enough to make countries that dislike or outright despise each other work together. Most of the nations of Africa formed a united military, and [[spoiler: Pakistan helps India dislodge the Fithp by firing their nuclear arsenal at the country in tandem with China in order to overwhelm their point-defense systems]].
* {{Frickin Laser Beams}}: The Fithp use this in spades. They are used realistically, serving as anti-missile defenses capable of swatting down ICBMs. The US also develops the YAL-1 laser during the six-year preparation for the invaders, and it is implied Russia does so as well. [[spoiler: The Archangel Michael has gamma-ray lasers capable of one-shotting Fithp digit ships and Race starships]].
* {{Godzilla Threshold}}: Multiple times during the story. The discovery that the aliens are not friendly crosses the threshold and causes enemy nations to work together to prepare against the invaders. Later on in the war, [[spoiler: India is forced to ask Pakistan, one of its bitterest enemies, to launch nuclear missiles at the Fithp on their home soil in order to dislodge them. After Atvar is deposed by Straha, he crosses the threshold and surrenders an entire starship to the US in order to guarantee the safety of the Colonization Fleet. Finally, the events of Footfall forces the US and other nations to enact OPERATION: ENDGAME, which includes ''18 million'' Russian troops pouring into Europe and the launch of the Archangel Michael]].
* {{Insufficiently Advanced Alien}}: The Race and Fithp are this to the humanity of 2020. The only technological advantage either side holds is in regards to space travel, like fusion drives and cryogenic hibernation. The United Nations even points this out when they attempt diplomacy with the Race, stating that they are willing to trade their knowledge of genetics, nanotechnology, and other sciences to the Race in exchange for the fusion drive. Unfortunately, Atvar doesn't bite, stating that he has never heard of nanotechnology, and believes it to be a hoax]].
* {{Invaded States of America}}: Attempted, but surprisingly averted.
* {{Kinetic Weapons Are Just Better}}: A downplayed example. Although all sides primarily use kinetic weaponry, the humans and Fithp also heavily rely on lasers for point-defense, and [[spoiler: the Archangel Michael uses gamma-ray lasers to devastating effect]].
* {{Nuke Em}}: Used to an alarming extent during the war. First, the Race detonates several nuclear weapons in Earth's upper atmosphere in an attempt to take out human electronics. It fails, and the Race get a taste of human anti-orbital weaponry when a Russian ICBM destroys one of their starships. [[spoiler: When the Fithp arrive in orbit, spacecraft placed in orbit by the US fire a dozen nuclear weapons at their mothership. Most are shot down, but the ''Thuktun Flishity'' is damaged enough to warrant a retreat behind the moon for repairs. Straha also attempts this trope when he deposes Atvar, sending killercraft to nuke Rome, Tehran, and several other human cities. Fortunately, all of them are shot down by Fithp orbital lasers and human defenses. Later on in the war, when the Fithp make landfall in India, the government is forced to ask Pakistan and China to launch missiles at the Fithp in order to overwhelm their absurd anti-missile defenses. It works, but Delhi and Mumbai are lost as a result. Finally, nukes start to fly like crazy in the space combat between the Archangel Michael and the invaders]]. Might be regarded as the {{Nuclear Option}} instead.
* {{The Poor Man's Atom Bomb}}: During OPERATION: ENDGAME, chemical weapons are used heavily by human forces against the Race to devastating effect.
* {{Tank Goodness}}: Human tanks prove to be far superior to Race landcruisers. The US actually develops two new tanks for the war, the M2 Abrams and the M3 "Ike".

* {{The Poor Man's Atomic Bomb}}: During OPERATION: ENDGAME, chemical weapons are used heavily by human forces against the Race to devastating effect.

* {{Nuke Em}}: Used to an alarming extent during the war. First, the Race detonates several nuclear weapons in Earth's upper atmosphere in an attempt to take out human electronics. It fails, and the Race get a taste of human anti-orbital weaponry when a Russian ICBM destroys one of their starships.

* {{Colony Drop}: [[spoiler: As per canon (one of them, anyway), Footfall occurs. However, it is a much smaller detonation due to the Fithp being rushed into combat by their discovery, and it instead strikes the Mediterranean. However, it is still a 300 megaton impact that washes away the entire islands of Corsica and Sardinia, as well as several major cities on the coastline. Straha threatens to do this to the rest of the planet, but is defeated before he can act out his threat]].

* {{Designated Villain}}: The Fithp serve this role during the invasion, as they're bound by sheer herd inertia and the desire for their own home. They attempt to keep civilian casualties to a minimum during the war, and are horrified by [[spoiler: The Race's attempt to nuke several human cities. After the war ends, they are allowed to settle in the United States as members of the American "herd"]].

[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11012702/1/Worldfall-A-Timeline-of-the-Race-and-Fithp-Invasion-of-2020 Worldfall: A Timeline of the Race and Fithp Invasion of 2020]] is a {{Crossover Fic}} between Literature/{{Worldwar}} and Literature/{{Footfall}}.

* {{Alien Invasion}}: Naturally. It features two of the most popular hard sci-fi alien invaders in literature, so it its to be expected.

* {{Curbstomp Battle}}: The Race is on the receiving end of this from both humans and Fithp once the war starts. The industrialized nations of Earth prove to far superior on the ground, and their weaponless ships are nothing but cannon fodder for the monstrous Thuktun Flishithy. [[spoiler: It is only through Straha's capture of the Fithp via deceit that the Race even stands a snowball's chance in hell of winning]].