VX Nerve Agent

VX Nerve Agent, or VX as it is commonly known, is a highly toxic nerve agent developed by the North Western Coalition for use as an extremely lethal chemical weapon. At the start of the Second North American War, rebels within the NWC seized control of the nerve agent and used it against the American city of Seattle for reasons that are still not entirely clear. The nerve gas attack on Seattle, often known as the Seattle Incident or the Seattle Massacre, generated unanimous international condemnation and contributed to the ultimate dissolution of the North West Coalition.

Discovery and Testing
The VX Nerve Agent was orginally discovered as a pesticide for controlling pine bark beetles in the North West Coalition's valuable timberlands. When the lethality of the VX was discovered, the Air Force of the North West Coalition took immediate interest in the substance and researched its potential as a chemical weapon at the Cold Lake Laboratory in western Alberta. Animal testing proved that the VX was extremely lethal even in minute quantities, estimating that a lethal dose for a human being could be as miniscule as 30-60 micrograms.

With tensions rising across North America once again in the summer of 1976, the NWC air force redoubled its efforts to create a delivery system with which to unleash the deadly gas on the then so-called United Socialist States of America. An air-dropped bomb was settle upon which contained approximately 80-100 gallons of liquid nerve agent with an explosive head. Upon impact, the explosive charge at the nose of the bomb would burst with a concussive explosion that would obliterate the casing of the bomb, instantly vaporize the nerve agent into a gas, and then propel the gas over a formidable distance. With judicious and stragetic use of wind, it was projected that thousands of square miles could be gassed in a single VX attack.

The Seattle Incident
Main Article: VX bombing of Seattle 

With the second outbreak of war throughout North America in a decade, the North West Coalition entered into war with the USSA and vicious fighting took place along the NWC-American border. North West Coalition president Tom Rans refused to use the VX against the Americans, but soon after his decision, rebels backed by Calgary oil tycoons took the conflict with the Americans as an opportunity to launch a coup against Tom Rans' government, which up until that point had been reluctantly compliant with corporate wishes. For reasons that are still unknown (Although it is speculated the rebels wanted to have the gas attack blamed on the government and take control after the USSA had toppled it), the rebels decided to commandeer bombers stationed at the Cold Lake airbase, flew across the border into Seattle, Washington, and dropped the VX bombs throughout Seattle. Within an hour of the bombings, the entirety of the greater Seattle area was devoid of human life.

The attack infuriated the American forces, and caused the USSA armed forces to throw everything they had at the NWC border. The New England Republic, formerly a staunch ally of the Canada and the North West Coalition, vehemently opposed the attack. International outcry from the Seattle Incident became deafening and helped to prompt Spain to cease involvement in the Second North American War. In the New People's China, the Asian Socialist Bloc convened and agreed to aid the USSA in ousting the Canadian invaders partially in response to the attack on Seattle.

Disarmament and Proliferation
After the surrender of the NWC forces to the USSA armed forces, the Americans were horrified to realize that the remaining VX stores had seemingly vanished into thin air before the end of the war. Many believe that the West Canadians simply buried the remaining bombs somewhere in the forests of northern Alberta, or that they were sold to the private contracting group known as Phalanx, or that they were purchased by the Canadian army. Whatever the fate of the remaining VX agent, the fact that it could likely be a threat to nations everywhere has prompted the USSA to work feverishly in developing a gas mask that can filter VX from breathable air for their own forces and for their Chinese allies.

Spain
Though top secret and only revealed the following year to only a handful of parties at the Moscow Conference by the Russian Republic, the Spanish Government has received large stores of VX gas from elements of the NWC government as well as Canada proper. This acquisition has thus made them the largest holder of VX nerve agent after the disappearance of the NWC VX stockpiles. Using the NWC's last VX bombs, they have managed to begin production of their own VX.

Though not largely confirmed by Spain, or formally investigated. It is rumored that VX has been used as a weapon by Spanish forces against Ivorian rebels in their campaigns in Africa. In addition, they're running top secret live-human experiments in the Sahara desert south of the Atlas Mountains.

Chinese Investigation of Seattle
Several months after the Seattle bombing the Chinese Intelligence Bureau dispatched a small team of doctors and chemists to Seattle to analyze and study the damages wrought by VX. In addition, to recover and analyze samples of VX to determine the exact chemical composition of the VX nerve agent.

As ordered by Hou Sai Tang and the Chinese National Congress it has become national interest to study and produce VX-neutralizing techniques and filtration to negate, and lessen the effects of the chemical weapon. Under direct orders from Hou, any samples of VX produced are to be used forthwith for chemical studies, and their stocks to not exceed the amount needed, when it comes to such.

The Russian VX Incident
Main Article: Russian-Chinese VX Crisis 

In the early autumn of 1977, the Russian Republic threatened to utilize the deadly nerve agent against the Chinese-backed Eastern Russian armies pressing ever inward into western Russia. Whether or not this threat is a bluff or a legitimate threat, many military analysts fear that the VX Nerve Agent could proliferate and be sold to nations that have no qualms about using the weapon in hostility.

During the Moscow Conference the Russian Republic did indeed admit to purchasing VX and revealed to the present parties they had purchased VX from Spain, but turned the shipment back as they found the world mounting against them. As such, the Chinese ordered the arrest of President Dimitriov.