Continuity

How the stories of the Combined Universe are linked

Heroic Commandos

This was my first story in the combined verse, so there isn’t much foreshadowing or connections, beyond setting up the CU.

International Heroes

A direct sequel to Heroic Commandos

Codename Bodycount

This story’s framing story is set between Heroic Commandos and International Heroes.

War of the Red Shadows

Although set several years after the first few stories, the events get referred back to in later ones. References events in Codename Shade

Codename Shade

Shows the events of the mission where Shade and Bodycount become friends referenced in War of the Red Shadows. References events later shown in Operation Cheetah.

Operation Bao

Than Dat later appears in ‘In Blackest Night’.

Operation Cheetah

Referenced by Codename Shade

Battle Beyond the Skies

Events in the course of this story are referenced in Operation Cheetah.

Spec Ops: Black Oktober

References War of the Red Shadows.

Spec Ops: Offshore Extortion

References War of the Red Shadows and events depicted in The Fall of Cobra. Events here are later referred to in Always Faithful.

Spec Ops: Scalped

Followed up on by The Kill Zone.

Spec Ops: The Coils of the Serpent

This story starts the arc featuring The Coil, directly referenced in Operation Archangel Michael and Skulls in the Sand

The Fall of Cobra

Sets up Cobra’s return to Cobra Island seen in War of the Red Shadows and later in Always Faithful.

Spec Ops: Ice War

Stands alone.

Spec Ops: Operation Archangel Michael

Continues the Coil arc, refers back to The Coils of the Serpent.

Spec Ops: Skulls in the Sand

Continues the Coil arc, begins an arc of Skull Squad’s activities. References Coils of the Serpent and Operation Archangel Michael.

Spec Ops: Men of Action

Largely stand-alone, but the reference to The Coil trying to get the bio-weapon was a way of tying it to the story arc of The Coil, which it comes near the beginning of.

Spec Ops: The Hunted

Continues the arc with Skull Squad, references Skulls in the Sand.

Spec Ops: Nuclear Oktober

Continues both the Coil and Skull Squad arcs.

Spec Ops: High Seas Hijack

Continues the Coil arc, references Skulls in the Sand and Nuclear Oktober. Also references Operation Cheetah.

Spec Ops: In Blackest Night

Continues the Coil arc, references previous stories in the arc and Operation Bao.

Spec Ops: The Raid

Stands alone.

Spec Ops: Brownout!

Stands alone.

Always Faithful

References Offshore Extortion and the Coil arc. Sets up future stories.

Spec Ops: Real Scandinavian Heroes

Continues the Coil arc.

Spec Ops: The Road to Yuma

Stands alone.

Spec Ops: Robopocalypse

Stands alone.

Spec Ops: The Kill Zone

Continues the Coil arc, references events in Scalped.

Steel Raptors

Follows on from events in, and references, Always Faithful.

Spec Ops: Berserker Road

Stands alone