Here's a brief overview from what I gathered;
Time Period: Roughly around 2020. Should start in 2020.
Fuel prices 800USD per barrel.
Nations (map):

Orange - United States; strong military, most advanced
Blue - European Federation; strong military, advanced
Green - Russia; strong military, advanced; Most of world natural resource supply
Red - New Commonwealth; small-mid sized defense force, average tech; neutral. No place in war.
Uncolored - Nations left to 'die'. Forsaken nations mostly. No military tech, or production. Maybe a few garrisons/partisan groups. "Forgotten peoples"
NATO dissolved. EF/US/Russia not allied. If you want to make events, make all 3 allied, then June 1st 2020, have all 3 superpowers declare war on each other.. I do not know how well the nuclear war aspect in game will go, but it's hard to tell. DEFCON 1 when war is declared obviously. All 3 nations relations are low.
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This is all based on what I know from playing. If anyone wants to add more, go ahead.