The Three Badges
Exploring three intriguing badges found in the game files that might reveal connections to the main roles within Project CW.
The Discovery
During the Open Alpha of February 2024, three badges were discovered in the game files: Bravo, PKS, and Poachers. These could potentially be linked to the game's three Roles: Attacker, Defender, and Support.
The Badges
Here are the three badge images found within the game files. Each badge is listed with its file name, followed by our speculations about its possible meaning.
Bravo
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File name: bravo_l90b10b0d78a6b38fe30148489c61027d
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Skull overlayed onto a Red Shield overlayed onto a Yellow Shield with a Yellow Ribbon underneath
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Yellow Shield has the word "BRAVO" Written on it, in theory is a reference to "Bravo Company", which is the second company in a Battalion that operates IFVs or Tanks
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Yellow Ribbon has the words "Special Tank Operations Command", which is a reference to the SOCOM or United States Special Operation Command, more specifically Army Special Operations Forces, which usually don't use tanks but in this timeline might
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Tank displayed underneath the skull is the side profile of an M60, which is a reference to Titan in game
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Red and Yellow colors of the emblem are a reference to the Phantom Corp, also known as the US Army III Corps, a Special Ops Corp based in Fort Cavazos that specializes in rapid deployment of armored firepower as well as taking on specialized operations.
Conclusion: Bravo is a fictionalized version of the United States Army III Corps / Phantom Corps, or more likely a fictionalized arm of the Corps that specializes in covert armored operations. Headed by Titan or Chopper and supported by Punch, Reaper, Kent and Commander, given that all five of them utilize tanks of American Origin ( M60 Patton, M1 Abrams, Chrysler XM1 Prototypes, M48 Patton and HSTV-L, respectively ). Ray may also be a part of this faction given her background and origin in presumably New York
PKS
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File name: pks_lcf212c2734ca8a083261c58fba646f70
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Shield with a yellow outline and an evergreen body. Overlayed onto it are two crossed arrows and a broadsword, with three mountain peaks at the bottom
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Broadsword seems to be found on many European Army Patches given a quick cross reference search. Arrows also appear to be a prominent feature on some army patches, two crossed arrows are noted amongst several high profile Specialist Units including the SAS ( Britain ), Kustjarna ( Sweden ), KSK ( Germany ), 9th Paratroopers ( Italy ), and 13e RDP ( France ).
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Mountains may be a reference to the Alps which cross several of the countries listed, including France, Germany and Italy.
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PKS doesn't seem to mean anything significant based upon searches, but K could stand for Kommando if assumptions are correct
Conclusion: PKS is a European Faction led by the Germans ( presumably, given the number of Leopards in the game thus far and the absence of any British agents minus Kent ( Kent could be a double agent potentially )). Not really much else to go off of though, presumably this mystery faction is a fictionalized version of the KSK conglomerated with other special ops that works with armored vehicles, i.e Jaeger, Akira, Blitz, Fantome, and the upcoming Fantome.
Poachers
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File name: poachers_l441e27e0642832ccf5380e9b9f2ae173
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No Shield, but a red painted background with a white wolf painted onto the red, surrounded by a target marker. Red color is very close to a darker Soviet Red that was symbolized as being "Red vs Blue" during the Cold War in Western Propaganda
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Blood Stains on the the insignia indicate that this is a hostile rogue group and not necessarily a well organized military force
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A Wolf on the emblem combined with the Soviet Red paint could potentially be a reference to the Spetsnaz, or to the symbolism of the Wolf in Russian and Soviet Culture as being a fierce and cunning animal.
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The crosshair around the animal appears to be largely symbolic of the groups intentions and not necessarily a reference to any specific armament, although it may be close to the crosshairs of both Raketa and Udarnik
Conclusion: the Poachers are likely an Eastern Group based in the Soviet Union given the symbolism of the wolf, the blood and the propagandized Soviet Red Color. Would also explain why Udarnik wears a VDV Paratrooper uniform underneath his army fatigues.