History VideoGame / SpriteWars

* PropagandaMachine: Terran command's Terran news network, formerly [[Creator/FoxNewsChannel Tiger news network]], whose broadcasts usually consist of anchors Bashing various factions that don't support TC for supposedly being [[DirtyCommunists dirty communists]] or [[BlatantLies secretly working to further the international mobofascist takeover conspiracy]]. Though others presumably existed, this one is the most recent.

* AGodAmI

** Also, earlier seasons included the [[SonicTheHedgehog Mobian]] [[MirrorUniverse Empire]].

Sprite Wars has decided that, due to our small community size, having a TvTropes page is a tad hypocritical. So, we've moved it to here: http://swwars.wikia.com/wiki/Tropes where our moderators will watch over it, and our members will add to it! *Insert Lyvekian word for goodbye*!

''Sprite Wars'' is an online, forum based MassiveMultiplayerCrossover game with user-made and controlled factions. To say it simply, it's [[Series/DoctorWho Daleks]] vs. [[Franchise/{{Halo}} UNSC]] vs. [[{{Eagleland}} US]] vs. [[VideoGame/{{Killzone}} Hellghast]] vs. [[VideoGame/NintendoWars Tundran Territories]] vs. [[TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}} Imperial Guard]] vs. [[Anime/{{Macross}} Zentradi]] vs. [[VideoGame/MetalSlug Rebels]] etc. in MeleeATrois. Add mix with several completely original factions and [[NukeEm WMDs]], and you get Sprite Wars. All this in sprite comic form.

Been around for 10 (or 11, depending how you count it) years, it has grown into a rather stable group with a canon of it's own. Wars are divided into "Campaigns", depending their size and "Seasons" between breaks. When it comes to rules, there are very few, the main rule being, of course, "Don't God Mod". Otherwise, you pretty much free to do what you want with you army. Demon worshipers? Go ahead. Communist army, either DirtyCommies or GloriousMotherRussia flavor? Bring it on. [[FlatWhat Snowmen?]] Yeah, we had those too... [[GiantEnemyCrab Giant crabs?]] Tried to summon the Chaos God at one point.

It is mainly a spriter group, with every other kind of artist welcome.

Can be found [[http://www.spritewars.com/ here]]. Note when adding tropes: only add tropes that apply over seasons or long standing factions.
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!!This site has examples of:

* AbortedArc: When a spriter ceases activity in a campaign without any form of outro comic, this usually happens.
* ACommanderIsYou: There are lots of different sets, from [[ZergRush Zerg Rushing]] to [[OneManArmy single powerful units]], and everything in-between.
* ActionGirl: Any female CO.
* AGodAmI
* AlienInvasion: Some more recent seasons featured not so friendly visits from the Voltor and the Imperial Guards from 40k.
** Also, earlier seasons included the [[SonicTheHedgehog Mobian]] [[MirrorUniverse Empire]].
*** And who can forget, the classic [[ANaziByAnyOtherName Corvolt Invasion]]? Notable for being the [[TheBadGuyWins only time in Sprite Wars canon where the bad guys have gained canon victory over]] TheAlliance.
** Subverted with the Kugestaldt "invasion" in the West Campaign. They were just kicking out the Lyvek, who had played this trope straight.
* AllThereInTheManual: Rules are rarely brought up, unless you are being a dick. Superweapon rule, for example, is rarely used anymore.
** Also, character backstories, technical information, and relationships usually only come up in the profiles for the Campaigns, and not during the actual Campaigns.
* AlterEgoActing: Most characters who are named after forum members are essentially the forum members in the Sprite Wars universe, though this isn't always the case.
* AlternateUniverse: Most Campaigns are in alternate universes from each other.
** Causes troubles sometimes since it's generally accepted that season 1 and 2 are canon, whereas season 3 is semi-canon. This eventually lead to a complete reboot where all canon was erased and Earth was restored to pre-war status to allow newcomers get into the game easily.
* AnachronismStew: Even ignoring the varying tech levels between factions, a lot of Earth-based factions have both hover technology, lasers, and anti-orbit cannons alongside contemporary trucks and assault rifles. Some versions of the USA are egregious in this regard.
** Liberators take the cake, though. Apart from having [[TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}} Tau as allies]] they also have old bolt-action rifles... fighting alongside HumongousMecha
** Fortunately,this has been subverted after the Liberator's got modernized.
** In the first season of the Global campaign, the Liberalis Terra was another example. Their troops wore no body armor, simply outfitted with green fatigues, red berets and FAL rifles, with M113s and T-62s for armored support. Later on in the season they got their own super soldier program underway,and received some space ships with Terran command's help, but it wasn't until recently in the 2nd season that their regular forces received modern equipment and training.
* ApocalypseHow: Every single one has happened or nearly happened at least once, usually because of [[Series/DoctorWho Worldbuilders]].
* ArmedFarces: The East Campaign and a few stand-alone comic series make for a good laugh.
* AttackDrone: Seen in use at some point or another.
* AuthorityEqualsAsskicking: The CO's. 'Nuff said.
** Also averted, some CO's are just ordinary humans/Mobians/whatevers who can be killed with a basic gun. Of course, these guys rarely go into the frontlines.
* AwesomeAnachronisticApparel: Worldbuilders.
* BadassArmy: Many to choose from and root for.
* BattleCouple: While there are a few of them, Briano and Vivian of the Liberators Army have this trope played best.
* BattleCry
* BeamSpam: [[http://web.archive.org/web/20141130085207/http://www.majhost.com/gallery/StormSpotter/SpriteWarsStuff/GrandCampaignPart3/beamspam.png The best example. ]]
* BigBad: Leaders of evil factions are usually this.
* BilingualBonus: Infrequently.
* BlackAndGrayMorality: Despite there being some truly good armies, the fact that everyone is ready to invade neutral countries for resources make it more "do you just take resource or do you oppress people for a kick" morality.
* CannonFodder: Many of the grunts suffer from this. Other times, it can become WhatMeasureIsAMook.
* CaptainErsatz: Some armies are pretty much just renamed copies of well know armies. Some are direct ripoffs.
* CloneArmy: Part of the Kugestaldt Republics Armed Forces. Their supersoldier GEHDI's are all clones, and they have clone reserves of regular infantry and specialized, genetically modified soldiers for more specific purposes.
* CrapsackWorld: Considering that the World War III has been going for who knows how many years, debris from battleships in space, and the use of [[NukeEm nukes]] and several other [[DoomsdayDevice superweapons]] has left large parts of Earth a barren wasteland by now.
* CrypticBackgroundReference: A few were made in part one of the Global Campaign, being a new setting with no previous set lore.
** To new users, any in-universe reference to stuff from past campaigns, and there were some in Global, can seem like this.
* TheCavalry; Battles usually have several of these. Whether they actually help is another thing.
* ChildSoldiers: The 907th Witch Squadron is comprised of young girls [[MagicalGirl who use magic]], [[SmallGirlBigGun big guns]], [[Anime/StrikeWitches and Striker Units. Don't forget the animal ears and tails.]]
* CloudCuckooLander: At least one per faction, usually female..
* UsefulNotes/CommonMilitaryUnits: Most of the time.
* UsefulNotes/CommonRanks: Often PlayedStraight, usually by factions based off real-world countries (USA, Canada). Other times subverted.
* ColonelBadass
* ColonelKilgore
* CustomUniform: Most Main Characters and CO's are guilty of this. Justified in that it makes them easier to pick out from the standard mooks.
* DarkerandEdgier: The belief that this was happening to Sprite wars became a major point of debate at around 2008, specifically due to the content of the second grand campaign (Which is [[OldShame not remembered fondly by some participants]]).
* DeathWorld: EverythingTryingToKillYou in the Earth-based Campaigns, certain [[SingleBiomePlanet Single Biome Planets]] in the North/Space Campaigns.
* DelayingAction
* DividedStatesOfAmerica: Appeared in the West Campaign most prominently. This changed rather quickly, though.
* TheDragon: At least one in every evil faction.
* EarthIsABattlefield: Obviously.
* FantasticRacism: Happens to Mobians and Lylatians almost all the time. Slowly became a DiscreditedTrope due to overuse.
* FanService: What else can you call having a ''[[MakesSenseInContext female, naked, cloaked spy]]'' being hunted by spreading powder so she can be seen? Oh, and to hide from everyone she hides in a bath. With every other female character.
* FatherToHisMen: Generally most of the factions that belonged under the umbrella of the old Alliance. TMWK's Character in Season three.
* FightingForAHomeland
* FixedForwardFacingWeapon: How many starships in Sprite Wars are equipped.
* FlauntingYourFleets
* ForeverWar
* FriendOrFoe
* GasMaskMooks: Appears for both good guys and bad guys.
* GenderIsNoObject: A few factions have both male and female soldiers in fully integrated combat units.
* GondorCallsForAid: Pretty much how alliances work. Someone gets attacked, s/he calls for allies to bail him/her out.
* HelmetsAreHardlyHeroic: Sometimes played straight, sometimes averted. Some CO's wear helmets, Kevlar and other protective headgear, other CO's don't.
* HighlyConspicuousUniform: A handful of older factions were guilty of this, though the prize should go to the Liberators Army...they wear ''ORANGE'' BDU's!
* HopelessBossFight: Some fights have this attitude in them. NCAF demonstrated this attitude against the [[TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}} Imperium's]] invasion of Europe.
* HumongousMecha: From ''TabletopGame/BattleTech'' to Anime/{{Macross}}
* InvadedStatesOfAmerica: Has happened several times in past seasons.
* KillSat: A few factions like to use these.
* LaResistance: At least one a Season. Briano's long-running Liberators apparently started out this way, according to his origin side-comic.
* LighterAndSofter: The Color Coated Campaign was conceived by a newer member as a way to get back to the less complex roots of Sprite wars. it's been a moderate success, with many long-time members participating. It was not however, the first attempt at a more light-hearted campaign.
* MacrossMissileMassacre
* MassiveMultiplayerCrossover: As said before, it's the only explanation as to how TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}}, Halo, Metal Slug, Macross, Modern Warfare, Sonic, Star Fox or dozens of other well known Media names can coverage and exist in this entire miniature reality. Add a few Original Characters with expansion, conversion and utilization of these many and varied references and plots that somehow seem to mesh no matter how odd, silly, confusing, and over the top they may be.
** In some cases, there are more specific Crossovers with one franchise or another. The Biohazard chronicles, for example, was set in the [[VideoGame/ResidentEvil RE universe]] following the events of Resident evil 5. It even had custom sprites of RE4 enemies!
*** Before Biohazard chronicles, there was Operation undead metropolis, in which players would fight zombies and Umbrella soldiers in Racoon City.
** There was also a short lived VideoGame/{{STALKER}} comic which was basically "Sprite wars characters as rookie S.T.A.L.K.E.R.s go into the zone." It too had custom sprites.
* MegaCorp: Many villainous factions start out, or are this.
* MidSeasonUpgrade: Happens every so often. Usually players will improve the design and aesthetics of their sprites between seasons.
* MilitaryAlphabet: Sometimes played straight, other times subverted.
* MillionMookMarch: Used by huge factions, usually large superpowers or alien invaders.
* MirrorUniverse: Part of a subplot in GC3. Sadly, this plot is not currently viewable in it's entirety on the web.
* MoreDakka
* NoNewFashionsInTheFuture: Played straight and subverted- although Sprite Wars is only in the near future and this should be expected, many space factions- alien /and/ human have citizens with contemporary clothes.
* OneManArmy: Played straight, subverted and averted. really depends on the situation. Main philosophy appears to be "if it bleeds and ain't dead, you don't have [[MoreDakka enough dakka]]"
* OpposingCombatPhilosophies
* Parody: Comics in and out of campaigns are frequently made with this in mind.
* PleasurePlanet: Hydronia has been implied to be this, but this is due more to its tropical climate.
* PinnedDown
* PrivateMilitaryContractors: Several.
* PropagandaMachine: Terran command's Terran news network, formerly [[Creator/FoxNewsChannel Tiger news network]], whose broadcasts usually consist of anchors Bashing various factions that don't support TC for supposedly being [[DirtyCommunists dirty communists]] or [[BlatantLies secretly working to further the international mobofascist takeover conspiracy]]. Though others presumably existed, this one is the most recent.
* PuttingOnTheReich: A handful of factions have this trope going for them, most notably the [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin SS Paranormal Division]].
** The Kugestaldt Republic, complete with futuristic Stahlhelms and all-black uniforms swam in this trope. When they were retconned into good guys, they maintained their intimidating appearance.
** The Axonian empire is another example, especially in earlier campaigns.
* PowerArmor: Some factions have these. the Kuradian Armed forces took the cake however, for they did not deploy non-powered armor troops in direct frontline combat.
* {{Retcon}}: Sometimes a comic shows something weird, impossible, or out of character happening, and it gets removed/edited by the maker or another author. Of course, then there's the [[CosmicRetcon reboots]]...
** Loads of things from Season 2 onwards of the Grand campaign have been retconned out of existence due to all the problems they caused.
* RubberForeheadAliens: This in spades. Kugels serve as the best example, their only defining traits are male baldness and exclusively black hair for females.
* RuleOfCool: The explanation for why there are things like [[TankGoodness Tanks the size of three-story buildings mounting laser cannons]] and soldiers who wear [[HighlyConspicuousUniform bright blue uniforms]].
* SemperFi: The USMC. They ARE this trope.
** Some other factions have their own version of a Marine Corps, but the USMC do truly embody the trope.
* ShoutOut: appears every so often.
** In one of CommanderEvil's GC1-era Imperium comics, there's a panel dedicated to showing a chaotic aerial battle between Imperial and SS paranormal division forces. One can clearly make out a [[ComicStrip/CalvinAndHobbes Tyrannosaurus Rex in an F-14]] among the combatants.
* SingleBiomePlanet: Many planets turn out to be like this. Sometimes averted, as well.
* SmallNameBigEgo: Sometimes crops up for humor in the Campaigns.
* SpinOff: What many threads in the "sprite comics" section are. Some are humorous in nature, featuring the [[DigitalAvatar sprite versions]] of forum members getting together and being the subject of wacky hijinks. "Life on SW" is the best example.
** There are also other, usually more serious ones set in the actual Sprite wars universe. They are centered around the histories of factions and characters, or sometimes general adventures. Shiki has made several of them over the years.
* StandYourGround
* StateSec: The FSA's K19. The Corvolt's Civil Protection officers
* SuperSoldier: A few factions have at least one of these.
* TankGoodness: A few factions proudly display their behemoth, powerful, oversized tanks.
* ThatsAnOrder
* TheAlliance: A few of the factions are either this or become this.
* TheSquad
* ThoseWackyNazis: The SS Paranormal Division.
* ToServeMan: Many play this trope, although the Lyvek deserve special mention; although carnivorous, Lyvek were originally not carrion creatures, until feasting on other species was enforced as an official part of their military doctrine through drugs and cybernetic control- it was used as a scare tactic and became second nature to some, but this part of their character has stopped as CharacterizationMarchesOn.
* UnitedNationsIsASuperPower: The UN functions much like it's counterpart in Doctor Who, and also controls UNIT, as well as UNATCO.
* UnitsNotToScale: All the time. Some members have been working on averting this lately, however, to the praise of everyone.
* UrbanWarfare: Of course.
* WarIsHell / WarIsGlorious: Keeps jumping between the various Campaigns, and occasionally within Campaigns.
* WeaponTombstone: Not seen very often, but when they do pop up, it can really tug at your heart strings a bit.
* WorldWarIII: And IV and V and... at this point, any mentioned "WorldWarIII" is probably hypothesized or just nonimportant backstory. By the time of most SW campaigns it's at-
* WorldWarWhatever: World War 4 or 5, if that early.
* WouldNotShootACivilian: Many of the "Good" factions try and follow this. The Liberators Army make this a part of their SOP, making sure to keep civilians out of their crosshairs and hate it when the bad guys shoot civilians. Averted in season 2, when the Alliance didn't have the luxury when fighting the Corvolt Empire
* ZergRush
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* FanService: What else can you call having a ''[[MakesSenseInContext female, naked, cloaked spy]]'' being hunted by [[FetishFuel spreading powder]] so she can be seen? Oh, and to hide from everyone she hides in a bath. With every other female character.

* CloudCuckooLander: At least one per faction, usually female. Then there's [[BiTheWay Esdaile Coil]]...

** There are also other, usually more serious ones set in the actual Sprite wars universe. They are centered around the histories of factions and characters, or sometimes general adventures. Shiki and Spartan117 have made several of them over the years.

* JustForFun/XMeetsY: Many of the factions. Mobian Empire is ''Franchise/SonicTheHedgehog'' meets ''Franchise/StarWars''. Tarsonian Confederacy is [[{{Starcraft}} Terran Confederacy]] meets [[TabletopGame/{{Warhammer 40000}} Imperium]]. And so on and so forth...

* KaijuDefenseForce: The JSDF was one of the original factions in season 1. They have occasionally appeared in other campaigns.

* VideoGame/MetalSlug: Most custom sprites, if not heavily edited from Metal Slug sprites, follow the same scale, and nearly all the backgrounds used in comics are from MS, though more custom made backgrounds have slowly been made.
**Played straight in the original comics, which started as an [[AlternateUniverse AU]] of the Metal slug universe.
*** Occasionally still played straight in later campaigns, where if the rebels aren't their own faction, they're part of another army, such as the ISA.

* YanksWithTanks: The United states, when not occupied by another faction, has been portrayed in campaigns as surviving the past wars and alien invasions with a relatively intact government and military, [[InvadedStatesOfAmerica though this doesn't always last]].
** Confusion can sometimes arise when more than one person winds up controlling the USA over the course of a campaign.

* ChildSoldiers: The 907th Witch Squadron is comprised of young girls [[MagicalGirl who use magic]], [[SmallGirlBigGun big guns]], [[StrikeWitches and Striker Units. Don't forget the animal ears and tails.]]

** Confusion can sometimes arise when more than one person winds up controlling the USA over the course of a campaign. It happened in Global 1. First Commander Evil posted a profile for the USA and a few exposition comics, then Kalash69 joined as a Special forces division within the CIA. Then CE stopped playing as the USA in favor of [[VideoGame/MetalSlug the Rebellion]]. Shortly afterward, Kalash vanished from Sprite wars, but not before posting some comics (All of which were deleted). This left CE and MikeMurdock to ghost-write for the US until Global 2, when ANOTHER user (Monstarules) took control of America as Task force 100.
** This was also a problem in the Grand campaign. Long story short, Kalash joined as the United States military federation towards the end of GC2 but went offline in mid-2009, and in-universe [[ItMakesSenseInContext some weird interdemensional stuff happened that pretty much erased Kalash's US and replaced it with one from another campaign at the start of GC3]] which was controlled by Mike and Cass, then after that campaign ended Kalash returned and joined the GC Regenesis, again as the USMF.