BATALIA is set in the Republic of Moldova between 2020 and 2030, as the country moves towards joining the European Union.

Russia has spent years recruiting local operatives and bringing military contractors into the region under civilian cover. Their task is to destabilise Moldova and undermine its ties with Europe. When the first armed clashes break out, much of this network is already in place. Its members have local contacts, access to supplies and somewhere to go when government troops arrive.

The Moldovan army is deployed to retake occupied settlements and secure transport routes. There are not enough troops to maintain a permanent presence everywhere. A unit can clear a road and reopen it to traffic, only for its convoys to come under attack a few days later. Sleeper cells continue operating in government-held areas, targeting infrastructure and military personnel. With communications disrupted and supplies becoming unreliable, some local authorities abandon their posts.

The loss of control gives other groups room to operate. Criminal networks take over supply routes and charge for passage through their checkpoints. Former soldiers form independent units, while marauders loot evacuated homes and warehouses. Mercenaries arrive from abroad, finding work with factions and private clients. Disputes over payment, stolen cargo or access to fuel regularly lead to more fighting.

Moldova quietly requests assistance from several European states. They are unwilling to send their own armed forces, but allow private military companies and foreign contractors to support the Moldovan army. These groups escort supply convoys, protect key infrastructure and take part in operations against hostile formations. Cooperation depends on the assignment and who is paying for it; their presence does not put every foreign contractor under government command.

Conditions vary considerably across the country. A town may still have a working administration, shops and an army garrison, while the road to the neighbouring village is controlled by an armed group. Deliveries have to be negotiated. Residents travelling to work or looking for relatives can find that a checkpoint has changed hands overnight. Local officials sometimes make arrangements with the same groups the army is trying to remove.

As the conflict drags on, factions become established in the areas they occupy. They control warehouses, distribute supplies and decide who can pass through. People who remain in these areas have to deal with them, regardless of their loyalties.

Fighting continues around bridges, fuel depots, settlements and the roads between them. Taking a junction can reopen a district to government supplies or leave an army position cut off. Holding it requires troops and resources that may be needed elsewhere. BATALIAS will determine how much territory the Moldovan government can recover, and which armed groups remain in control long enough to become a permanent part of the country’s future.