War rages in the once peaceful land of Equestria as the Griffon Empire wages war against the ponies. The quiet farmpony Big Macintosh finds himself amid the turmoil. He signed up for the military to defend his country and his family but the military has other plans for him as he is drafted into the C.O.L.T.S program. A group of magically augmented super soldiers who could hold the key to ending the war and restoring harmony. Along the way Macintosh meets new friends and allies and even love from the most regal of ponies. However, being a COLT will have its negatives as he and his team face betrayal, heavy loss, and the terror of the merciless Griffon super-soldiers, the Steel Talons, led by the notorious Captain Gore. Through all of this, Macintosh learns the true nature of war and just what it truly means to be a soldier.