#an experiment

Okay, so, An Experiment 1 & 2 fixes the whole Madness Combat timeline. They likely take place between episodes 4 and 5, with Tricky's appearance in Project Nexus 2 being the only unaccounted-for plot hole. In my interpretation, the events go as follows, with explanations provided afterwards:

Hank explodes in episode 4

Sanford and Deimos are sent to observe and investigate an experimental facility by Doc

They revive Hank using the chamber

DISSENTER happens

Doc meets with Hank (invoking that one Nexus flashback)

Hank, Sanford, and Deimos sabotage the Nexus Training Project

Hank does some research on where to find Jeb and the Nexus Core to shut it down

Hank, Sanford, Deimos, and Jeb kill Phobos and shut down the Nexus Core

Hank goes rogue at the end and is left wounded

Depredation happens

Sanford and Deimos intentionally show up looking blank so Hank doesn't recognise them in case he's still angry from being stopped after going rogue

I'm interpreting Hank as being the person who gets revived in An Experiment 2 because of its final scene - an open vent cover. I know the evidence is flimsy, but hear me out; we know about Hank's affiliation with vents from throughout Project Nexus 2, meanwhile a MAG or half-MAG wouldn't be able to fix through a vent like that. Hank is the only character we know actively uses vents.

Sanford and Deimos are captured at the end of this episode, which obviously indicates that An Experiment leads directly into Project Nexus Classic. The flashback from Project Nexus that I invoke is the one where Doc discusses his plans with Hank and Jeb, after Doc likely sought the two of them out for the task of stopping Phobos. For my interpretation, DISSENTER takes place at this same meeting location.

The entirety of Madness Combat 5: Depredation seems to show Hank at his most uncontrolled and violent, slaughtering his way through a facility for no known objective. Hence why Sanford and Deimos, after having brought Hank down at the end of Project Nexus 2, would want to look like unrecognisable Grunts to him; Hank is on an active killing spree, and probably wouldn't hesitate to have his revenge on the duo.