Yeah, I've been meaning to update/retcon this; I really rushed it.

Great. Just remember that in the US alone, even off the radar, there are going to be a LOT of war vets from the mid-east who know exactly how a technologically inferior opponent can fight a vastly overpowering enemy with incontestable air superiority. Not to add to the huge reading list shoved upon you by your other readers,but things you might consider looking at:

The First and Second Battle of Fallujah, especially considering that the lead-up to Fallujah becoming an insurgent stronghold resembles Nates home city and your mysterious rebel leader could be compared to Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, though less bloodthirsty and fanatical.

The British Invasions of India and China, but particularly of India, which had several strong states that each fought British colonization, and how the British managed their native Indian regiments to compromise hobbling mutiny with combat effectiveness, and how said system failed. The rebellions in China are well worth a look as well, particularly the Boxer Rebellion.

A Webber novel: Out of the Dark, which portrays a grittier and more realistic version of an invasion very similar to what you described and could be used as inspiration for how the more war-torn areas of the world are faring, though the wolf-aliens in the book aren't as capable at ground combat as the Regulians seem to be. The twist ending is... eh, could have been done better and was both too bvious and not built up to enough.

Ha ha ha! I have a copy of Out of the Dark. The twist ending was actually a joke between me and my best friend for years, despite us not knowing the name of the book, because it was so outlandish. When he finally found out the name of it and I read the Wikipedia article's plot synopsis I had the exact same thought and purchased a copy immediately.

Rest assured, although I wrote this without thinking of a lot of factors, I'm not going to do the same twist ending!

Thanks again for all the info, by the way.

No problem. I feel like it would have been much better if they'd gone more Necroscope/The Strain; the twist ending party not an invincible deus (diabolus?) ex machina, but a threat that slowly builds over the book as both the human resistance and the aliens become aware of the growing army of the night (Perhaps because the bombardments destroyed the Ruling Council and an exiled or imprisoned radical/heretic is at the reigns now, or the Van Helsing operatives died fighting in the first wave).

Suddenly the aliens bioweapon-failsafe doesn't look quite so safe anymore, perhaps only a temporary solution that creates a worse problem, while the resistance is divided over whether the new allies coming Out of the Dark are their salvation or another race of bloodthirsty conquerors; either ending on a note of common humanity (by some definitions) prevailing and a strange new joint civilization arising vengefully from Terra or unrelenting cosmic horror in a universe ruled by the fanged of one kind or another. But no, instead we get everything neatly tied up with a ribbon.

The potential for the other half of the classic duality showing up is also completely wasted. Why would you not have scifi-wolf-alien-on-supernatural-werewolf combat when given the opportunity? Not to mention that nobody ever tries to fuck an alien. 2/10 Highly unrealistic.

All good points. At this point I think the easier thing for me to do would be to slap an "Map approved by the Imperial Library," watermark on the image to make it an in-universe map that only displays the locations that are blatantly not under control.

Either that or I'll finally re-do it to make it more sensible.

Still looking forward to a galaxy map showing the reach of the empire.