Lake Maracaibo with General Carmona Bridge in the distance
This was the operational control by all factions where many battles took place to control the areas in and around Lake Maracaibo.
Universal Petroleum, the People's Liberation Army of Venezuela, Rastafarian Pirates, Venezuelan Army, and later on the Allied Nations and the People's Liberation Army were all fighting for control over the lake in order to continue their operations and reach their goals.
Venezuelan Military[]
The Venezuelan Army wanted total control over the country and at the time, had the most powerful fleet in Venezuela. However, their land operations were stalled for the time being by the other factions and now have to be able to control the lake in order to succeed in their operations.
Their ultimate goal is to seize total power in the country and the VZ army decides to try many approaches, including seizing oil stockpiles that are held by Universal Petroleum. One way the VZ tries to do this is to kidnap several UP executives in order to force UP to submit and flee the country. Unfortunately, six hours is not exactly something that can be done for over 2,000 UP Mercs and officials. Thanks to the mercenary, the executives are freed and UP security increases.
The VZ try to seize the Cabimas and while they are going for the oil reserves, Solano tries to have his people capture important documents about how UP are having the Venezuelan people pay for their own oil. Basically, UP screwed over the Venezuelans. Although the capture of the oil factories is successful, the documents are burned and UP remains in Venezuela. Solano still had some tricks up his sleeve, but of course this was now directed towards the other factions.
The P.L.A.V do not have many ships, but the Chinese just offered them boats that would help them against not only Carmona's military, but also the other factions. The VZ know that control in Lake Maracaibo means the P.L.A.V. would be surrounded and tons of reinforcements could pour in over sea, instead of over land, towards the P.L.A.V HQ. However, because the other factions have stalled the operations for the VZ, they cannot subdue the P.L.A.V and they continue their operations over land.
The Pirates are a much tougher adversary and nearly have the firepower equal to Solano's military thanks to stolen equipment and selling them for easy money on the black market. The Pirates do have a strong fleet of their own, but Solano's fleet is still far stronger and superior to their. The VZ are trying to push the Pirates out by capturing the islands and surrounding the Pirate HQ before a landing operation could take place.
Again, Solano's plans are not put into place thanks to the mercenaries. The VZ would continue to stay on a stalled offensive until the Allied Nation and China arrive. When they do show up, they bring bigger toys than Solano's and now have him on the run. This along with the mercenaries actions, are forcing Solano into a tight corner, where he makes plans to hopefully force the Allies and the Chinese out of Venezuela so that his plans can renew. Unfortunately, this would never happen as Solano is overthrown and is captured/killed by the mercenaries. With the war over, the other factions still have disagreements and still some conflict over control, but for the most part, it is all still the same.
Universal Petroleum[]
Universal Petroleum is a well-funded and well-fueled faction in the game and have some very powerful toys. Although their fleets consist of large oil tankers, the most of their armed fleet is comprised of small patrol boats and inflatable boats, not large or powerful enough to destroy Solano's fleet.
However, UP maintains good air support, which makes up for the lack of a powerful fleet. UP also holds a couple of oil rigs, until Solano comes to power, in which, he captures and uses to fuel his military. Universal Petroleum not only has problems with Solano, but from the P.L.A.V. and from Pirates. The P.L.A.V. cannot stand in a straight-up fight against UP, but instead use groups of guerrillas to attack UP outposts, convoys and troop concentrations. For the most part, it is an even fight, but when the mercenary intervenes with both sides, it goes up one way and down the other, but reverses once again.
The UP has several bounties on P.L.A.V. officers as well as the P.L.A.V. having bounties on UP officers. Universal Petroleum has a tough time over land, but since it stands virtually unopposed by P.L.A.V in sea power, their possessions overlooking key oil areas at Lake Maracaibo are untouched by the P.L.A.V. Because the P.L.A.V. can only come to the UP guarded outposts and oil facilities by air and land, they clearly outmatch the P.L.A.V. in the fight around Lake Maracaibo.
UP, however, has an even tougher time with the Pirates, since the Pirates want control over the seas as well. Pirates have stolen numerous vehicles and weapons from the VZ as well as Russian Mafia contacts that sell their weapons to them on the black market and are more than a match against UP. UP does not have large patrol vessels, or any sea power vessels to take them on. However, UP still has some air support and the Pirates cannot rely on any air support except by a few planes and mostly helicopters.
UP has to rely solely on its air superiority in Lake Maracaibo to make up for its lack of sea power. UP eventually gets better firepower, but only when the Allied Nations invade Venezuela. The Allied Nation invades because UP could not maintain a well-supplied flow of oil. The Allied Nation sent their best men and firepower to deal with the P.L.A.V. and the other factions, who are against the UP, but China also invades because the P.L.A.V. cannot take over the country, let alone, takedown Solano.
China brings firepower of their own and supports the P.L.A.V. throughout this campaign. UP and the Allies work together to control the situation with China, but it seems inevitable. UP remains under command of the Allies until the war comes to an end with Solano's takedown. (Player-determined: If sided with the Allies, Allies will force China out, but be forced to flee when a nuke is dropped on their HQ, if sided with China, you destroyed not only Allied presence, but UP presence as well.)
People's Liberation Army of Venezuela[]
Although the P.L.A.V. has only one ultimate goal, they still do have other goals to achieve to gain that main goal. The main goal is to take control over Venezuela and throw Solano out of power.
Lake Maracaibo has a massive stockpile of resources that the P.L.A.V. need in order to gain more strength and even total control. However, they are ill-equipped in sea power to take on Universal Petroleum, the Pirates, the Venezuelan Army, and eventually the Allies. This does change, however, for better. China signs off an agreement to grant a new patrol boat, made by China, to use against Solano's forces.
Marcela Acosta wants to use it against the UP and Pirates as well. This new boat was tested by the mercenary and succeeds in its purpose. Acosta, who is well-funded by the Chinese requisitions more of these boats and establishes a new operation in Lake Maracaibo. The new mission is to sabotage enough of UP resources and possession as well as Pirates possession and force both factions to flee the country so that Acosta can face Solano's men alone.
The only problem is UP and the Pirates have the same idea. So, Acosta is locked in a even three-way battle against control and although she does succeed some places, others places, she's not so lucky. Acosta, like UP, has to rely on air support as well to gain control over key areas in the lake. When it was clear that Acosta, couldn't hold against the Allies's firepower, China steps in and take command. China, with bigger and more powerful warships, made P.L.A.V.'s dreams of conquering the country that much closer. It did not go through, however, and when the war comes to an end, Acosta is still out fighting the UP and Pirates for control. It is unknown if she would ever succeed without the mercenaries' help.
Pirates[]
Mostly consisting of Jamaican thugs, the Pirates are a group that wants control in Lake Maracaibo. The Pirate faction is supported by the Russian Mafia, who lent several contacts, and gave full support through the black market to give vehicles, weapons and supplies to the Pirates to seize control of key areas in Lake Maracaibo.
The Pirates' goal, originally, was to seize all of the islands and use them as forward operating bases to raid civilian boats for expenses, keep open supply lines for their drug smuggling rings, sabotage UP supply ships and keep them from gaining more and more oil, and oust Solano's power in the lake. However, all other factions are not that easy-going.
The UP manages to keep the Pirates in check, the VZ army is moving closer to the Pirate HQ and the P.L.A.V. have enough land forces to keep the Pirates off of the mainland. With the mercenary's support, however, things changed rapidly. Supply lines opened up, drugs and weapons were shipped through as planned and even the mercenary helped with deliveries, Solano's men were forced out of several islands by the mercenary and UP ships were sabotaged. Adding to this, the mercenary also helped the Pirates gain a mainland outpost and managed to open trade routes over land.
Not only does the Pirate have a good influence in the lake, but land operations are now underway. With all of these successes, the Pirates started to gain more power in the lake and became one of the most powerful factions in the struggle for Lake Maracaibo. Even when the Allies and the Chinese arrived, the Pirates seemed undeterred by the presence of massive warships. It is unknown if they ever achieve all of their goals, but it seems likely with all of the support they have and all of the gains they achieved thanks to the mercenary.
Allies[]
Although they have little interest for control, the Allied Nations are more concerned when an oil rig was blown up. AN immediately takes command of the UP possessions and troops, headed up by CIA Agent Joyce.
AN quickly takes note that to reestablish a oil supply line, they must first control the seas and that means get rid of the other factions, including Solano's army. The P.L.A.V. is the first target, but with a show of force by the AN, the Chinese use a force of their own to counter the Allies' move.
The Allies have very powerful ships, but the Chinese have equal power. AN's new goal is to seek out all Chinese opposition and force them to flee the country. Depending on the mercenary's actions, if they help the AN, they will succeed in driving China out of Venezuela, but also get driven out themselves after Solano drops a nuke on the Allies' HQ. With no further intervention by the Allies, the other factions take time to rebuild and rearm themselves and set new goals as to how they will achieve their original goals, plus the new ones.
China[]
Although China supports the P.L.A.V., they, do not seems as interested in conquering territory as much as their allies. In fact, China takes over command to help the P.L.A.V. finish the mission, but the only reason their presence is there is because the Allies suddenly showed up in a huge show of force.
China was now interested in establishing outposts close to the Allied HQ as well as the current mission to take down Solano. If the mercenary sides with China, the Chinese will achieve their goal of driving out the Allies, but only to be forced to flee due to Solano nuking their HQ. Without the Chinese supporting the P.L.A.V. directly, they were on their own once again, but instead of their original goals, they set new ones.
Aftermath[]
In the end, there is still signs of struggle by all factions for control over the lake, but after both the Allies and China enter the war and then sudden leave, all factions set aside their differences long enough to help the mercenary gain enough support to take down Solano once and for all. Once achieved, the mercenaries all leave the country and now all factions continue the struggle. All factions are locked up and decide to keep their current possessions and try to work on solutions as to how they would proceed at Lake Maracaibo.