Vanquish takes place in the near future where Earth's human population has grown so rapidly that nations are fighting for the scarce remaining resources. The United States of America has attempted to alleviate its energy problems by launching an O'Neill Cylinder space station harboring a solar energy-driven generator to provide them with an alternative source of energy. However, the government of the Russian Federation has been overthrown in a coup d'état by ultra-nationalist forces calling themselves the Order of the Russian Star.