State of the planet WOAE
In Wrath of an Empire, when our dear MC will land back on their former home world it will be a changed place. The battle between Imperial and Commonwealth forces has destroyed the majority of the terraforming and weather management facilities on the planet, turning it into an icy tundra of settlements constantly trading supplies and power just to not freeze or starve to death.
On top of that one or both of the sides deployed modified wildlife into the area.
Strange mutated beasts ranging from the burrowing Tundra Wolves with their three rows of teeth and third eye to the enormous Marrow Bear with its nearly fleshless bony head.
The MC will first travel between several of the settlements on the outskirts. Mostly away from the few remaining pockets of Imperial resistance your main foe will be individual Imperial sympathizers as well as wildlife attacks, supply shortages and the occasional militia attack. This will allow the reader to get a familiarity with this world and the people who now call it home. Your forces will be limited so every choice you make could mean one less vehicle or a one less man for the next situation you will have to deal with... Thats not to say your companions could be the ones caught in the crossfire...
This is how I hope to reintroduce the mc to this world before the big fireworks of conflict resume...