Go back to the Morrow Project Travel Guide index to get to the other regional entries.

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SECTION FIVE: The Great Lakes (Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio)
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WISCONSIN

Wisconsin is a wild and wooly place, with several enclaves vying for power and a whole lot of nothing in between. The crazy nuts of Napoleon's Own are based here, and the Shipmen have several lakeside enclaves. Large areas of the state are empty and barren, and disease, shortages and exposure continue to take their toll on many local communities. The frigidly cold winter weather and the predations of marauders have made life tough, but the land is good and food is often plentiful.

1) NUCLEAR TARGETS

Milwaukee, SS-17
Madison, SS-N-8

Discretionary Nuclear Targets:
Green Bay, SS-18M1
Eau Claire, SS-19
Kewaunee Nuclear Reactor, Kewaunee County, SS-17

2) MORROW PROJECT ASSETS
Hospital (designation unknown): Underground four-level special facility hidden below an old, abandoned farm about 3 miles due north of the town of Flintville. Construction began in the late fall of 1979. Morrow industries bought the farmer’s land and buildings under a private name. Over the next five years, they slowly excavated the ground below the farm and shipped in building supplies, disguised in grain trucks. In the spring of 1984, the facility was completed and stocked.
Medical Team M-6: Team frozen in 1984 with the VF. Medical Team M-6 contains a total of 16 members. All members come from medical backgrounds. Three are full fledged doctors, one is a virologist, one is a psychologist, four are EMTs who drive the Hummers, and the rest are nursing staff. Unlike the majority of the Morrow Teams, they were to wake up just after the war and provide a safe, secure facility to help the surviving doctors treat and care for the victims of the holocaust. The team is equipped with four Hummers converted to Ambulance service.
Command Team W-1: Bolthole location unknown. 8 members, with two Commando Rangers (Command Special Vehicles). Team W-1 has two Recon Teams assigned for assistance in scouting and security, as well as a MARS force designated for their use.
Mars Force W-2: Bolthole location unknown, but somewhere in central Wisconsin. 8 members, with four FAV Dune Buggies.
Mars Team M-6C: Bolthole located below the remains of a small farm, 1 mile east of the town of Oconto, on Highway 22. 8 members, with one V-150 with the auto-grenade launcher. In the off chance that a hostile force, or desperate and armed survivors tried to take control of the facility, the Mars team was added as a defensive force, just in case.
Recon Team W-1: Bolthole location unknown. 6 members, with three Commando Scouts.
Recon Team W-2: Bolthole location unknown. 8 members, with two Commando V-150s with 20mm.
Recon Team W-8: Bolthole location unknown, but somewhere in central Wisconsin. 8 members, with one Commando V-350.
Recon Team W-14: Bolthole location unknown, but somewhere in central Wisconsin. 8 members, with two V-150s with 20mm. There are only seven members alive, one man has long ago died in cyro-sleep, now just a skeleton.
Recon Team M-6A: Bolthole located in a forest 400 yards off of Highway 141, just half a mile north of the town of Anston. 6 members, with one V-150 armed with a 20mm cannon.
Recon Team M-6B: Bolthole located on the outskirts of the ruins of New London, built below a Morrow-run gas station. 6 members, with one V-150 armed with a 20mm cannon.
Recon Team G-5: Bolthole located 6 miles southeast of Mondovi. One V-150 APC.
Agriculture Team W-2: Bolthole location unknown, but somewhere in northern Wisconsin. 6 members, with one Peterson Combine, one Tractor, and one 1/4 ton truck.

3) WISCONSIN

Situation, pre-war: Wisconsin was an area typified by farms and small industry. Agriculturally very prosperous and fertile, a wealth of small communities provided markets for goods and a basis from which light industry could meet the needs of the farms. The entire region was largely self-sufficient. There were several small cities in the area, notably Eau Claire and LaCrosse. While they had some heavy industry, these towns served more as administrative and consumer centers. Such industry as did exist was primarily supportive of the regional economy and had to do with farming, dairy products, etc.

Situation, the war: Wisconsin was hit hard by the war. Eau Claire, Madison, Milwaukee and Green Bay received direct hits from Soviet missiles. The extreme southeastern corner of the state got one or two missiles for good measure; missiles originally targeted for the Chicago area. Further, a "bracketing" effect took place as targets outside of the state were hit. Most of Northern Illinois, Duluth and Saint Paul in Minnesota were hit at the same time. The bracketing effect effectively prevented survivors from leaving the area. But survivors from nearer the points of impact headed for central Wisconsin. After all, the area was known to be an agricultural paradise, full of food and having no targets worth bombing.

Situation, post-war: Wisconsin had it rough. The war either destroyed or neutralized government, transportation, and long-distance communications. The refugees from the target area were too numerous for quick assimilation. They had to be fed, clothed and housed, all at once, at the onset of winter. In the absence of governmental organization and ready transport, it could not be done. Many perished. Many turned to robbery and looting. Groups of desperate refugees often dispossessed whole communities, thus adding to the problem. Disease and famine followed. Some refugees carried artificial plagues, spreading these amongst fellow refugees and locals alike. But after that first winter, natural disease became a threat as the medical apparatus to handle them dissolved. There were no medicines. Simple tetanus, in the absence of vaccinations, was again a killer, as were rabies and other diseases previously thought "treatable". Sometimes due to loss of population, sometimes because armed desperados in the area made it unsafe to farm too far from home, large areas of land went uncultivated. Some areas were so hopelessly overcrowded that it was impossible to produce enough to feed them all. Stores dwindled rapidly. Areas far enough from targets grew a surplus of food, but it could not be moved in sufficient quantities to make a difference, nor could they be moved quickly enough. Quietly and slowly, a new Dark Age settled over Wisconsin.

The people of the land: Within ten years after the war, the population of Wisconsin had fallen to the point that it looked like in another ten years there would be no one left at all. However, that was not to be. 150 years later, the population of the state is about 100,000 people. Most of these people live in the south, near the Mississippi or near Lake Michigan. Many people do live in the interior, but not in the same density. People living near the waters, east or west, tend to be more civilized. They have more outside contact. A fare amount of trade comes and goes in these areas, much of it over the waters. Along the Mississippi, tobacco is available, as well as cotton and other items from the south. Trade on the water is sometimes conducted on a group basis with many people traveling together as traders, almost like a sea-going caravan.

Native Americans: No less than five tribes existed in Wisconsin before the war. Left to their devices on their reservations, a majority of these people survived. The Wisconsin Indians are now migratory, spending their winters in the north near the old reservation lands. With the coming of spring, they move south or southwest, towards Illinois and the Mississippi. The tribes do not number more than 10,000 souls in all. The Indians encountered in the state take two forms. One is a group of families traveling together, men, women and children, animals and their trains. The second group are young men on horses looking for a little bit of fun. These horsemen, nominally serving as cavalry scouts for the larger body of Indians, often wander off to count coup on unsuspecting travelers.

Towns and villages: No new towns have been built since the war. Most towns have been uninhabited ruins since shortly after the war. These are usually rubble mounds or ghost towns now and are overgrown with trees. Some have been stripped of portable useful items, others have not. Some have served, or do serve, as bases for bandit gangs. These are almost always to the south. Old metal road signs are frequently the only means of identifying the ruins. Those towns that are still inhabited have similar qualities. None are very full, and the threat of danger makes citizens patrol their borders regularly. Many towns have walls around them, but these are mostly in the south. Farms surround almost every town, with the farmers living in the town and coming back before nightfall. The largest towns are in the south or along the Mississippi. In the south, all the people live in the towns for mutual protection. In other areas, many isolated farms and homes were never abandoned. With the population rising again, there is a movement to spread out, clear land and begin new farms. Hunters and trappers operate in the bush and only visit the towns to trade.

Government: Simply put, there is none. A primitive form of Greek City States exists as the most common form of local government. Given the low population and minimal commercial activities, there are no wars but two or more towns sometimes band together to combat a bandit gang. The lack of government is both a good and bad thing. Taxes are low to nonexistent. There is no red tape and no law other than the Golden Rule. But there are no roads, no police or fire departments, and no schools.

4) WESTERN WISCONSIN
In western Wisconsin today, farming is difficult, but not impossible to a hardworking man or family. The people in the area are fairly receptive to strangers. The pickings of the area are so slim that bandit groups are rare.

The Mississippi River: Known to the locals as "The River" or the "Big River", the Mississippi forms a barrier to the west. There are neither fords or ferries and the only bridges exist at LaCrosse and north of Saint Paul in Minnesota.

The ruins of Eau Claire: Eau Claire was destroyed during the war. Situated in a valley, the outlying areas were not much affected by the blast or fire. The radiation has tapered off, but is still high in the valley itself. Nothing human lives in or near Eau Claire, and people know to avoid it.

LaCrosse: LaCrosse is the largest town in the region. In-town residents number in excess of 500, with many more in outlying areas. The farmed lands of the flats are quite extensive, stretching about 3 miles north and south of the town. The town is not walled for the ruins are too extensive to make the manning of such a long wall practical. The inhabited portion of the town is semicircular, with the flattened portion of the circle facing the river. LaCrosse is the center of trade for all of lower Wisconsin and Minnesota. Boats plying the river north and south stop here to trade, often trading for items form the interior. Annual trade fairs have been held each July for the last 30 years.

Maxwell's Militia in LaCrosse: A contingent of Maxwell's Militia (see Indiana for a complete explanation) is still here in LaCrosse, still holding onto the former glory of that empire. Shortly after the war, a platoon of the Militia was sent to LaCrosse to hold the bridge across the river. They have never left, and their descendants still maintain their vigil over the bridge. While technically independent of the town, they in effect are the militia for LaCrosse, cooperating closely with the mayor on security issues. The militia is just 20 men, but they are well-armed with old M1 Garand rifles, for which they have an ample supply of ammunition. The militia also has an M60A1 tank, that was driven here just after the war and promptly broke down. It is now dug in as a pillbox, its cannon covering the approaches to the bridge. The cannon is functional, though only HE shells remain.

Mondovi: A small farming settlement, typical of most similar towns in the state. The outskirts of the town are in ruins and uninhabited, but are used as a rag-tag sentry area. There is no town wall. Mondovi has no more than 200 residents who make their living farming, hunting, smithing, etc¡K The community is largely self-sufficient. Most weapons are black powder types, but some others exist, shotguns being a particular favorite.

Black River: While the town itself was demolished long ago, it is known now for a popular tavern and inn located on I-94. It is the only human habitation along the Interstate between Menominee and Tomah.

5) NORTHEAST WISCONSIN (Thanks, Joab Ben Stieglitz)
For this entry, parts of the state of Michigan will be included for ease of reading. The heavily forested region along the Michigan and Wisconsin border (the "stump" of the Upper Peninsula) is now the home of a isolated network of settlements, all in conflict with one another. The thick pine forests and rolling hills hold a plethora of beasts, both natural and mutated. Through decades of conflict, communities evolved into small, walled villages with vague territorial boundaries established with neighboring villages, and the standard for trust came to extend to a village's immediate neighbors. Even so, contact between villages is rare. There is no central government, and generally all power rests with the leaders of the individual villages. People seldom travel alone in winter except when absolutely necessary, as predators are a problem. These include mutant wolves, bears and human bandits. Nearly every village has some sort of underground or natural shelter prepared to retreat into if attacked or if the weather is especially harsh.

Technology: Overall tech is at Level F for most of the region. Steam technology is the norm, though the wood-burning style in use is less efficient than 19th century coal burning models. Most weapons are black powder flintlocks, but with rifled barrels. In the absence of most drugs, medical conditions are primitive. Surviving twentieth century knowledge has greatly improved the cure rate, but serious conditions are usually fatal.

Commerce: Trade for necessities is the limit of commerce, and is considered an act of desperation. The village solicited is expected to provide the requested goods, for a price, and the village requesting aid is "in their debt" until such time as the debt is collected. There is no standard for the value of the debt and demands for collection are highly subjective and usually at the whim of the leader of the collecting village.

"Karhu": Formerly the town of Beechwood, Michigan, along Highway 2 in the thick Ottawa National Forest. Now a fenced-in village with surrounding a pre-war underground bunker with an armed military force spread out in a heavily wooded valley nearby. The military tradition of Karhu stems back to the original "Freemen", a neo-Nazi white supremacist group who founded the bunker before the war. In the chaos after the nuclear strikes, rumors spread of the stockpile of food and supplies there, and the bunker was besieged by refugees for many years. The residents fought off all comers, solidifying their power in the region. Karhu is run by a chieftain known as the "Warlord", who serves until death and his replacement is chosen by combat. The soldiers are known as "White Warriors" and are about 200 strong. What they lack in training they more than make up for with firepower, having modern Mauser M225 rifles and even a quantity of LAW rockets. These weapons come from the stocks of the bunker beneath the town. They also have a well-stocked medical facility and a machine shop. Lookout towers are scattered throughout the region, having been built many years ago before the ability to construct such things was lost. The towers are concrete and covered, with open gun ports that enable firing in all directions. There are always two Warriors in each tower armed with their normal weaponry as well as occasional LAW rocket. Over the years they have adopted the limited relationship with neighboring villages common to the area, but always assume a dominant posture and get their way via their unspoken threat of aggression. The Warlord demands that all villages in the area must provide women to produce offspring to increase the available forces. These women are treated like chattel and live only to serve the whims of the male soldiers. The Karhuans value and protect their women based solely on their reproductive potential. The most fertile are kept in the bunker to bear children. After giving birth, they are sent up to the village to care for the growing children for a year. After several children or a failure to produce children for a period of time, they are released to the Warriors in the valley. The Warriors ride out periodically to savage local towns and exact tribute and women. As they are so well-armed, they rarely are challenged.

Iron River: Home of a group of Cons from the east that wandered into the area about seven years ago, taking up residence in the ruins of Iron River, at the southern end of the Karhu valley. See the entry for Michigan for a full explanation of the Cons. They are now slavers in the employ of Karhu. They are armed with clubs and knives mostly, but also with a few rifles provided by the Karhuans.

Crystal Falls: A Michigan town at the intersection of Highways 141 and 69. Now a walled town of 75 people, the local economy revolves around the unique art of glassblowing and blacksmithing. Wittsend was once known for excellent flintlock rifles, but the raw materials for these guns have run out nearly 20 years ago. The town has several snowmobiles, running on grain alcohol. There is no school and education is done orally. The town lives in perpetual fear of attacks from White Warriors from Karhu and from beasts in the woods. The current mayor is Matthew "Judge" Welch, a capable leader who will serve until death, he gets tired of it, or the people get tired of him. He has a well-maintained H&K G-3 assault rifle, but has never seen any ammunition for it.

Sam Hancock: A traveling trader ("Wilderness Outfitter") stranded for the winter in Wittsend. He came from the south and has set up a temporary shop beside his wagon, with an old sign over the door that says "Sears Catalog Outlet". He has things that are rare or unavailable here, including lanterns, fine leather goods, copper jewelry and paper. He also has an incredible amount of knowledge about conditions south of here all the way down into Illinois.

Monongahela Mine: A played-out iron mine in Iron County, Michigan near Crystal Falls. Currently the winter home of a small band of two dozen Cons, an offshoot of the larger band at Iron River. They were stranded at the mine for the winter while on a foraging expedition. They have limited weapons, including two working .50 rifles and three working .75 muskets. Their camp is located well inside the mine, out of sight from the entrance.

"Ivaho": A walled town, built up from the remains of a pre-war resort along Highway 141 in Michigan that was a popular leave location for the guards at the Marquette State Prison. When the war came and the prisoners were freed, the guards on leave protected the resort town against their former prisoners and were hailed as heroes. Over time, and with the years of attacks by assorted bandits and beasts, the locals slowly gave up their freedom in exchange for the continued protection of the "Sheriffs". The town is now set up like a manor where the Sheriff¡¦s descendents rule by decree. Over time the line of Sheriffs has ruled justly, but firmly, with the Sheriff's men having absolute authority. Most citizens are serfs to the Sheriff and his deputies, who watch over the farmers, though it is unclear whether they are protecting them or keeping them from escaping. The Sheriff¡¦s men are armed with nightsticks and with .30-06 Rifles. The current head Sheriff of Ivaho is Perron Barrish, a proud, honorable man who rules martially for the protection of the citizens. There are now 130 people living here, counting the Sheriffs.

Ski Brule Lodge: Located right north of the border in Michigan, formerly a posh ski resort. The intact building have mostly buried by a recent avalanche. The main lodge structure is unstable and could collapse at any moment.

Iron Mountain: Formerly a large regional center just north of the Michigan border. Now inhabited by a group of Cons who came here from further east looking for new areas to explore. This is a separate group than the one in Iron River and the two groups are unaware of each other.

"Malegg": A town built since the war, in the forests north of Clearwater Lake. There are about 100 farmers and loggers living here, all living in fear and mistrust. There is a complex of caves in the hills nearby, which are used occasionally as the area is plagued by rampaging wolves and bears. They have an unholy alliance with the White Warriors at Karhu, helping them round up women in the area.

Long Lake: Along Highway 139, up in the thick forests of Wisconsin. A village recently destroyed by a pack of mutant wolves. The people that survived scattered into the forest, where they are suffering, being wounded, demoralized and without adequate clothing or supplies.

Radio tower: There is a pre-war solar-powered National Park Service Radio Tower near Lahti. The tower at Lahti was inoperable for decades as trees and underbrush had overgrown around it and blocked the solar panels. Recent storms and the felling of timber by the villagers cleared them, which activated the automated transmitters. The radios have been damaged over the years such that they are not tuned in or need to be recallibrated, some also do not transmit and/or receive, etc. As such, that when transmission resumed, the signal went out at a steady 56MHz.

Goodman: Along Highway 8. This small town has received the bulk of the refugees from Lahti and their resources are constrained and they do not want anymore company. There is animosity between the Godzillans and the Lathians and as the winter goes on there might be some violence.

6) CENTRAL WISCONSIN

The ruins of Green Bay: Nuked and now just a radioactive windswept ruin, picked clean by wary survivors. Populated by a large number of mutant species who occasionally menace the local area.

Flintville: A small community of some 147 souls, fairly typical of small settlements in the area of the state. They have no vehicles, and use horses and carts for transportation. Only a handful of the towns inhabitants have modern firearms (about ten men own well-maintained hunting rifles.) The other weapons are crossbows, hunting bows, knives, and about another thirty black powder rifles. The towns economy is supported by farming and hunting. Several of the nearby farms keep large herds of cattle, pigs, chickens, emus and White tail deer. They trade with other small communities for pre-war goods such as books, glass, metal, and the like. The town contains at least two blacksmiths, several tanners and seamstresses. They are a honest, hard working people who are in the middle of the growing season. This town is frequently visited by Mailmen, and about twice a year Gypsy Truckers stop by and trade with the people. This town has little trouble with roaming gangs, since they are off any major trade routes. They are occasionally hassled by the unpleasant mutants which roam the ruins of Green Bay. (Thanks, Chris Van Deelen)

Wausau: Wausau's population is larger than average, with nearly 1,000 people living here. These people hunt and farm and make babies. The town itself houses only 400, the rest live on farms up to 20 miles away. Years ago an attempt was made to form a University in Wausau. The idea died from equal parts of apathy, and the opposition of a vociferously anti-intellectual minority.

Plainfield: Plainfield was the recipient of three out of four MIRVs from a Soviet SS-17 ICBM. Why this was the case is a mystery, as certainly nothing in the small town of Plainfield warranted such attention. The ICBM undoubtedly suffered a guidance failure, small consolation for the people of the town.

Bancroft: This small town in central Wisconsin is the home of "Lucifer". A church has grown up around Lucifer and a cadre of hereditary clergy has been active here for a century. Lucifer happens to be an intact nuclear warhead, the forth MIRV from the Soviet SS-17 that blasted Plainfield 150 years ago. The warhead is mostly inert, but is still leaking radiation. There are about 150 people living in Bancroft today, and they are virtual slaves to the 15 priests who minister to Lucifer in his temple. Outsiders are driven off or killed and a cult of secrecy is in effect, as the church is afraid that someone might one day come to take Lucifer away from them.

7) SOUTHERN WISCONSIN

Maxwell's Militia: For the first couple of decades after the nuclear war, the southern third of Wisconsin was tenuously held by the huge Maxwell's Militia Empire (see Indiana for a complete description). Control never really extended past the roads and the major cities, and once the Maxwell leader died, his forces slowly slipped away or fragmented. Today, there are few reminders of the Maxwell Empire to be found.

The ruins of Madison: Being the former capitol, Madison was a natural target in the war. One SLBM was targeted at the city's central core, and the warhead landed in the lakefront area. A 200-foot wide and 150-foot deep crater remains at the spot where the warhead dug into the ground before exploding, now an extension of the shallow polluted lake. Situated on low ground, the entire southern half of the city is radioactive marsh and rubble. Mutant fish and amphibians reside in the lakes, some growing to monstrous size.

NEW!!! A short adventure module set in the ruins of Madison, The Lords of Mendota.

The ruins of Milwaukee: Destroyed by a nuclear weapon and by the subsequent 150 years of neglect and violence, the city of Milwaukee now consists of three isolated enclaves of survivors surrounded by a flattened and burnt-out urban husk. The enclaves are centered around the Southridge Mall, the old breweries, and the Mount Mary College campus. The group controlling the breweries still turns out limited amounts of beer, but the main product is a limited amount of ethanol and methanol for burning in engines. The market for this is large in the city.

The ruins of Lake Geneva: Nuked by an overshot ICBM aimed at Chicago. Nothing but a huge, glassy crater remains today.

Monroe: Home city of the "Free Republic of Wisconsin", founded some 120 years ago out of the crumbled Maxwell Empire. This is the only remnant of that empire in the state, and the citizens of Monroe take pride in their unique heritage. This area has retained a high level of organization for a century and the townspeople have a vigorous program of planting every available acre of land. Not surprising with the security it brings, the area has been the destination of wandering refugees for years, and the population continues to grow each year. Today it is stable at 3,500. People are free to say and practice what they want in Monroe, and trade is always welcome. Violence is not tolerated and visitors are required to check their weapons at the gates. The Militia has about 135 effectives. Armament is mixed but there is still some left over from when the Maxwell Empire was armed with the best that the US Army could provide. Numerous broken-down vehicles and artillery pieces are kept in a field outside of town, memorials to a younger age. There are still two 4.2inch mortars that are kept in storage, along with a quantity of shells, for emergency use.

7) THE SHIPMEN
The Shipmen are the remnants of the Great Lakes shipping industry which survived the war and its aftermath. Operating out of their ships and from a few coastal bases, these people have established a fairly large trading empire. They are good people who work hard for a living and respect people who do as well. They operate ships of all makes and sizes, many armed with breech-loading cannons, firearms and catapults. While once convinced of the rationale of keeping to the open water, in the past few generations they have seen the wisdom of placing shoreside enclaves along the lakes. These bases allow them to build new ships, dock and repair the ones they have, and operate trade centers for the goods they transport. In Wisconsin, there are three main Shipmen bases along the eastern coast north of Milwaukee. There is also a "Laker" base in the extreme north (see Michigan for a description of the Lakers).

Sheboygan: Home of the largest Shipmen settlement in Wisconsin. There are some 500 people here, more during the frequent gathering of ships in the winter months. A militia is armed with light arms, a few heavy machineguns and some mortars. They have gathered a small fleet to patrol the shipping lanes into Saginaw Bay, consisting of about 25 boats of various capabilities, including one homebuilt ironclad patrol boat with a black powder cannon.

Sturgeon Bay: An enclave of 140 Shipmen and their dependents, and a growing center of trade.

"Ship Port": Formerly called Washington Island, at the tip of the peninsula stretching out into Lake Michigan. A walled village exists on the island, home to some 75 Shipmen. Protected from land-based attacks except in winter, when the water between the island and the shore is frozen solid enough to walk or drive upon. The port has six sailing ships, some cannon, and some assorted rifles. The island is their home base when they leave their women and children, when the men travel Lake Michigan in search of glory and trade.

Ashland: The only Laker base in the state, Ashland has been the port of the north since the destruction of Duluth and Superior during the war. Its population peaks at 400 when the trappers leave the forests in the spring.

8) NAPOLEON'S OWN
This infamous group was started by inmates at the Winnebago Mental Health Institute in Oshkosh. When Green Bay was nuked, Appleton and Oshkosh were flooded with refugees. The staff of the institute made the tough decision to turn out the inmates to make room for wounded people who needed medical attention. One of the inmates released was a megalomaniac who thought he was Napoleon. Out on his own with a group of other inmates, he quickly gathered a large following with his forceful and charismatic personality. His first step was to go back to the institute and demand to be let back in. With such large numbers of former inmates now at their door with guns in shaky hands, the remaining staff had little choice. Over time, a symbiotic relationship developed between the staff and the inmates, the doctors and nurses serving as "royal physicians and counselors" to Napoleon and his growing family. In this environment, people were free to explore their own fantasies and unique personalities, ranging from people convinced they were astronauts to people who thought they were frogs. The more violent socio-paths were not tolerated and over time were weeded out of the gene pool. The inmates were never forced to stay, and over time many of them wandered away from the institute to lead their own lives. 150 years later, their descendants, many just as unbalanced as their ancestors, can be found all across the Midwest and beyond.

Oshkosh/Appleton: These two cities on the shores of Lake Winnebago are still completely controlled by "Napoleon's Own". Times have recently become tough for the NO, and their time on earth is ending. There are just 330 people left alive in the ruins, mostly in small settlements around the lake. The institute is still inhabited by some 40 people, about half of them descendents of the staff. The very name of Napoleon's Own still strikes a combination of humor and worry in the hearts of many Wisconsiners, and people avoid this area out of tradition. Locals either believe that the people are possessed by the Devil or that their condition is contagious and can be passed by simple contact. Either way, the two cities are given a wide birth.

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ILLINOIS

Illinois is a very interesting place; from the rolling hills in the south, the scattering of independent settlements on the central plains, to the crumbling ruins of the blasted Chicago metropolis dominating the north. Outside of the organized areas, the vast majority of the area's populace is on small farms and ranches.

1) NUCLEAR TARGETS

Chicago, SS-18M1
Peoria, SS-18M1b
Rockford, SS-17
Springfield, SS-18M1
Elwood Ordinance Plant, Elwood, SS-17
Granite City Army Depot, Granite City, SS-19
Rock Island Arsenal, Rock Island, SS-17
Zion 1, 2, Nuclear Reactors, Zion, SS-N-17
Dresdon 2, 3, Nuclear Reactors, Morris, SS-17

Discretionary nuclear targets:
Scott AFB, SS-17
Savanna Army Depot, Savanna, SS-N-8
Clinton nuclear reactor, Clinton, SS-N-17

2) MORROW PROJECT ASSETS
MARS Force IL-2: Bolthole location unknown, but somewhere in northern Illinois. 10 members with one Commando Scout, one Commando V-150 with 20mm, and one Commando V-150 with 75mm LPGS.
Frozen Watch Team 54: Bolthole location unknown, but in the Chicagoland area.
Recon Team G12C: Frozen on July 16, 1983. Bolthole location unknown, but somewhere in the Chicagoland area.
Science Team IL-1: Bolthole location unknown, but somewhere in central Illinois. 5 members, with one Commando Ranger with .50 caliber MG.

3) CHICAGOLAND

Situation, pre-war: Metropolitan Chicago was the second largest city in the United States and by far the largest city in the Northern Midwest. A city of 7.5 million people, Chicago was known for its commodities markets, industries, and many major Midwestern businesses. Home of several universities including the University of Chicago, the University of Illinois Circle Campus, Northwestern University, and Loyola University, Chicago was a center for learning and culture. The Fermi and Argonne labs in nearby suburbs added to this prestige and were major centers for research into particle physics and fusion technology. Chicago was also the clearest example of the American melting pot with people of many different lands and cultures living side by side, sometimes in peace but as often in conflict. The many ethnic neighborhoods of Chicago were famous for their history, their good food, and their diversity. By the time of the War the notorious politics of the Daley era were gone but not forgotten. The political straw bosses still lived in their neighborhoods though the city machine they had known all their lives was being dismantled.

Situation, the war: When the War started Chicago was in the middle of an ordinary working day. Although a major target, due to a mixture of bad electronics and good luck the 25 megaton city busting missile targeted for Chicago fell to the south between Gary and South Chicago. The Southside of Chicago along with most of the downtown area was completely destroyed. The North side was virtually untouched. The people huddled in basements in these areas survived the initial blast. Crawling from the wreckage they stopped only long enough to bury the bodies of those who had failed to make it to shelter along with those who hadn’t even tried. Then the real battle for survival began.

Situation, post-war: Climbing out of the rubble, the survivors in North Chicago looked with amazement at what remained. Far from being vaporized, most of the City north of the Loop area was intact though naturally there was heavy damage throughout the City. Evanston was in the best shape while the downtown area near the Loop had suffered the most. All that was left south of the Loop were mounds of radioactive debris. A city is more than a collection of people and buildings; it is a web of interdependencies. A modern city depends on food from the countryside and an incredibly elaborate structure of people and machines to transport it. Without power from generating stations and fuel from distant lands there is no transportation, no water, no gas or oil for heat; none of the modern facilities that we take for granted. All of these things were gone and under the impact of the War most of the organization to move them had disappeared as well. By the end of the first grim winter the population had been reduced to no more then 10,000 people. What political structure was left was on the verge of collapsing due to the pressures of having to much that needed doing and too few people to do it. In a few short years Chicago had entered a new dark age. Today, 150 years later, the City is beginning to emerge from its long slumber. The remnants of a political structure still exist in the "City Machine" and the market it has set up at what was Wrigley Field. Northwestern University still has scholars despite their many problems. People of different customs still survive on the streets of Chicago haunting the ruins. Some search for things to trade to the people that are beginning to come looking for “relics”. A new force is moving in the form of the mysterious “Green Caps” that have occupied what was once O’Hare Airport. Their strange ideas are being heard throughout the City. Despite this the survivors are a grim lot struggling to stay alive in a bitter, inhospitable world. The shadow of the past is still found in the ignorance and desperation of the people. The fragile rebirth could collapse at any time if widespread fighting were to break out among the people of Chicago.

The People of the Land: The Chicago area of today has around 15,000 people living in it. A large number of these are scattered on individual farms in the surrounding countryside. There are maybe 7,000 people living in what could be called the “inner city”. This area is loosely defined as being the area where people live in groups or “clans”. Most of these clans are evenly distributed among the ruins although the most densely populated area is the central area around Wrigley Field and Evanston. Among these clans there is intense rivalry over the little arable land available in the ruins.

Roads: None of the roads marked on the maps are kept up except those that are part of the Freelanes. This means that travel is slow and difficult, particularly in the inner city area. There are almost no bridges and while some streams have ferries they are not able to carry anything larger than a small cart. In the countryside there will be small trails that farmers and other locals use. Within the City there are mainly rubble filled streets which are barely passable. The exceptions to this rule are the Freelanes. These are moderately well kept but even they are no more then a dozen feet wide and sometimes they narrow to less than six feet. Where streams are encountered there are seldom bridges.

4) THE MACHINE

Those with the power: The Chicago city government was fragmented by the War. The Mayor had been killed almost instantly. The Chief of Police had died in the first horrible weeks after the War and with him most of his officers. Not surprisingly, the pre-war emergency plans and the chain of command collapsed. But it did not leave a vacuum. Pieces of the old city political machine still existed. The armory near Humboldt Park was held by a group of police. A handful of the City Council had survived although they were scattered across the City. In the Wards of the City, the people who had been part of the political machine of Chicago were for the most part still alive. These people stepped in and worked to keep the City alive. They organized groups to patrol neighborhoods, bury bodies, and look after the dead and dying. They collected food from the homes of people who no longer needed it and from supermarkets whose aisles were filled with shattered glass and rationed it out to the survivors. A makeshift militia was formed to stop the madmen who wandered the streets looking for someone to kill for the green paper and shiny baubles that had been “money”. Above all they tried to keep their neighborhoods alive. These efforts at survival worked in Chicago where they would have failed in most other cities. Because of the Machine and its city wide grassroots organization which knew the neighborhoods like the back of their hands it worked. These people were used to organizing people, talking to them and getting them to cooperate. Most had the respect of their people and they were used to reporting to and taking orders from a central organization. They were used to making the best of a bad situation and of making the impossible work; somehow.

The Machine: For 150 years now, the pre-war political machine of the city has survived to hold on to power. Over the generations there was much infighting and occasional bloody purges of rival parties. Still, the massive machinery of the City Government was too large to not retain control of the city. The “Machine” as it is called, is in absolute control of much of the city and controls nearly all the trade and commerce. The “Boss” leads the Machine from the friendly confines of Wrigley Field.

Chicago Today: Today, 150 years after the War, the bones of the situation remain much the same though most of the reasoning and history behind what happened has been lost. The Machine still lives in Wrigley Field and is still run by the “Boss”. The Boss is sometimes also called “The Commissioner of Baseball” which simply means that he is Boss of Wrigley Field. The Boss’s chief lieutenants are the Commissioner of Power and Light and the Commissioner of Water. No one is quite sure what these mean but since they are Commissioners, it is assumed that they run some part of baseball. Wrigley Field is no longer called Wrigley Field. It is now called the Freezone. This is because it has become the trading center for Chicago where anyone can come to trade in peace. What used to be the playing field is now a collection of tents, stalls, and shacks that are used by people who trade at the Freezone. The rest of the City is still divided into neighborhoods, most of which fight viciously over their territory or “turf”. Most neighborhoods are organized into clans that have a single leader (See the section on Clans). There are about 100 soldiers in the Machine east of the Canal. The soldiers live in the garrisons they are assigned to or a building nearby. There are also some 500 people that farm the parks within this area. In a sense these people are a “hostage clan” that does the farming within the Machines City turf and then hands over the harvest to the Machine. However, though the fruits of their labor are not their own to distribute, these people often think of themselves as being lucky as they are spared the incessant clan warfare that is so much a part of the rest of Chicago.

5) COMMERCE IN THE RUINS

Best that can be expected: The Freezone works fairly well. There is seldom any violence and these days, seldom any need to fight the Glows. Lakers and Traders around Chicago have started coming to the Freezone to trade, particularly for the metals, glass, and other relics scavenged from the ruins of Chicago. They also come simply to meet and trade with the other people who come to Chicago. Farmers come from the countryside along the Freelanes the Machine has carved out. They trade their food for “scrap” metals and other things they can neither make nor find. Money is almost never used in trade. Barter is the standard although the Lakers are trying to convince the Machine to start using money as the medium of exchange. The scholars from the University also come to trade at the Freezone. They usually trade knowledge or their skills for food or other things (particularly books) that they want.

The Freelanes: The Freelanes are routes to and from the Freezone that the Machine has carved out over the years. They lead deep into the countryside where the Machine has its own farms. These farms are farmed by slaves that the Machine has captured, taken as tax, or occasionally bought. While this is not to efficient, it is necessary because of the shortage of people available to farm the land. The Machine patrols the Freelanes and convoys’ people and materials in and out of the City. The Machine also has several boats which they row along the Canal and (with the help of the Ginners from the University) they have a steamboat running on The Lake to their farms north of the City. This boat runs once a week and brings food and other materials into the City while transporting tools and metals out to the farms. The first Freelane is a water route, detailed below. The second Freelane runs west along what was Irving Park Drive until it reaches what was O’Hare Airport (and is now Ft. Morrow). It then goes south on the Tri-State Tollway (I-294) until it reaches US 5. It follows the 5 southwest to the Machines farms near Aurora, Illinois. The Third Freelane runs northwest along Irving Park Drive to the Ft. Morrow area. It then turns north on what was I-294. It follows the Tollway until it reaches US 12 and it goes northwest on 12 until reaching the Machine’s farms near the ruins of Wauconda.

The steamboat: The Freelane most notable is a water route that travels across the North Chicago River to the garrison at Willamette Harbor. Here, people traveling north board the City’s wood burning steamship that travels along The Lake shore to the farms in Northern Illinois. The steamboat machinery is kept up by the Ginner faction at the University in return for a share in the food produced up north. There is always one Ginner named Scott MacDonald on board the boat and he carries an assortment of tools, wire, pipes, and so on, to fix the engine should it quit (which it usually does). Also on board are a dozen long oars of a type similar to those used by galleys in Greek and Roman times. These are an emergency backup in case the engine fails beyond Scott’s ability to repair it or when the weather gets bad enough to give the engine a hard time.

Soldiers: While most of Chicago west of The Lake and east of the North Branch of the Chicago River is controlled by the Machine there are only a little over 100 “soldiers” associated with the Machine. A soldier is simply a person that the Machine trusts enough to give guns and ammo. These soldiers are spread throughout the Machine’s turf in garrisons that watch the borders and the entry and exits of the Freelanes. Patrols of 7-10 men also travel this area as well as the guards that patrol the Freelanes.

Garrisons: The Freelanes are the lifelines of the City and the Machine will defend them at all cost. To ensure the safety of the Freelanes and the City, there are garrison at each point that a Freelane enters the City. The six garrisons are strategically placed, defensible buildings. Here people entering or exiting the City are shaken down and a “City Tax” is collected from people entering, and a “Highway Tax” is collected from people leaving. Searching people serves the double purpose of seeing what there is that is worth taking and checking for weapons. Freelane guards will generally not attempt to take weapons away from people in order to prevent unnecessary fights. It is not that they are against violence; it is simply that the Machine lost too many soldiers and too many traders in unfortunate “incidents” before this policy was instituted.

6) THE FREEZONE

Wrigley Field: The Freezone: What was once Wrigley Field is now the City’s marketplace as well as the City’s political and social center. It is one of the only places where people from outside the City meet with the inhabitants on a more or less friendly basis. It is also likely that there is no other place on Lakes Michigan and Superior where so many different people get together and trade. The headquarters of the Machine since the early days after the War, Wrigley Field still houses the main stores of ammunition, food and trade items as well as the living quarters for the Boss, his lieutenants, and the 40 soldiers that are garrisoned in the Stadium. The development of a trading area on the playing field began about 30 years ago when the Lakers began to arrive in Chicago looking for “relics” to trade with other people on The Lakes. While the Machine had at one time or another fought with all of the Clans, they were the only people who had contact with both the Clans, and the Outsiders. Initially the Machine acted as a go-between and traded between these different groups. Although this gained them a lot in both power and wealth, they soon came to the conclusion that politicians from time immemorial have decided; it is easier to tax then to make or trade. So, putting all their eggs in the proverbial basket they opened the gates of Wrigley Field and started the Freezone. At the same time they turned the northwest route that led to their farms into the first of the Freelanes. Since then, with the wealth gained from taxes, they have added the steamboat, the second Freelane to Aurora and an almost unbreakable hold over everyone in Chicago who depends on the trading in the Freezone. Since this includes almost all of the clans and both factions at Northwestern the Machine has a stranglehold on most of Chicago. Today, they keep order as much by threatening to exclude people from the Freezone as they do by force of arms. For a clan to be excluded from trading at the Freezone is a disaster that could destroy them by keeping them from getting the food, leather, slaves, or in some cases (illegally) the weapons they need to survive.

The Outer Limits: Outside of Wrigley Field there is the City’s only watering hole. It is called “The Outer Limits”. This is because it is outside the limits of the Freezone, it is outside the limits of the Clan areas and it is definitely outside the limits of the very strange “scholars” that come here. The proprietor of this venerable institution is a man named “Gordon”. Gordon serves everyone, knows everyone, and can tell you everything. Whether he will or not, is another matter. First and foremost he has to like you. If he doesn’t he won’t do anything as crass as throwing you out but will simply let it be known that you aren’t worth the trouble. Even if he likes, telling you anything unusual will cost you something.

7) THE PEOPLE OF THE MACHINE

The Clans: Before the War Chicago was one of America’s most culturally diverse cities. Americans of many races lived and worked together in the many ethnic neighborhoods of Chicago. At the best o times, Chicago was the center of the American “Melting Pot”. At the worst of times, it was a hate-filled war-zone. The War did little to change this other then to make the hates deeper and the fights more desperate. The survivors that lived in the neighborhoods of Chicago were able to work together to survive because they trusted each other. Each of these groups had their own land and their own way of living. Most clans were ruled by a single strong leader with the young men fighting and searching the rubble for metal or other artifacts that were left over from before the War. Families grew crops, acted as lookouts and kept the makeshift houses they lived in from falling in on them.

Today: At the heart of every clan’s territory is a cleared field used for growing food. These are usually centered on an area that had been a park or cemetery before the War. This area is the most carefully guarded part of a territory where most women and children live and work and where the food necessary for the clans’ survival is grown. Because the City Machine has forbidden trade in guns to the Clans, they use homemade weapons, traps, and the rubble itself to defend their turf. The most common weapons are slingshots (made from pieces of metal found in the ruins), thrown rocks, blowguns and an occasional crude, homemade shotgun. Axes, hammers, and spears are used in close quarters but the most important weapon found amongst the Clans is the rubble and their familiarity with it. In 150 years, Chicago has become a junk heap full of traps, pits, and dangers for the unwary. With a little bit of ingenuity, the Clans have made the rubble into a weapon ready to fool strangers and the unwary. There are pits that will drop enemies into the remains of the sewers, and sections of wall that can be levered by a single person to fall on people walking beneath them. Pungi traps made of rusting nails and other debris lie around corners of old buildings waiting for people to stick their noses where they don’t belong. All in all, the rubble of Chicago is a dangerous and vicious place.

Black Clan: This clan is centered in the Oakton–Park Ridge area. They speak Black dialect and French Patois and number about 200 clan members and 35 fighters. This relatively small but well-organized group farms what was once the forest preserve near I-294. Not normally a cannibalistic clan, they have a standing feud with the Indian Hill cannibals (see below) and it is rumored that any member of the Hill Clan they catch becomes part of a ceremony they follow at the full moon. It is certain that they never sell these captives as slaves. The Clan’s relations with the Machine can best be summed up as cordial; though the Clan seldom trades at the Freezone.

Middle Eastern Clan: This clan is centered around the Bohemian, Montrose, and St. Lucas Cemeteries and the grounds of what was the Municipal Sanitarium. It is a mixture of the Greeks, Middle Eastern and Oriental people that once lived in the surrounding areas. They speak a mixture of Greek and Lebanese and number some 350 members including 60 fighters, making it one of the larger Clans. The Clan is very cautious and careful as they own what may be the largest single piece of farmland in Chicago. Their relations with the Machine are good but wary, as the Clan is exceedingly distrustful of the motives of the Boss.

Latino Clan: This clan is centered in the River Grove area. They speak Spanglish (a mixture of Spanish and English), and number about 230 members including 50 fighters. This clan is one of the most active clans in the inner city, perhaps the best farmers (after the University) and the most active in scavenging the ruins in search of relics for trading. They sell these at the Freezone and are on good terms with the Machine. They are also not above raiding another clan’s turf in search of relics. Currently, they are carefully watching the struggle between their cousins and the Ukrainian clan over Humboldt Park. Because of recent strong leadership, raids on the clan’s turf have dropped sharply. The clan is on good terms with the Machine and is satisfied with the trade arrangements that currently exist.

Hispanic and Ukrainian Clans: These clans are centered in the Humboldt Park area. Their numbers are, 100 Hispanic members, including 35 fighters, and 275 Ukrainian members, including 50 fighters. They speak both Spanish and Ukrainian. The Humboldt Park area is currently the center of one of the fierce, short-lived clan wars. They are necessarily short because no clan can afford to lose a crop lest the entire clan starve. Since both side’s hope to capture this season’s crop intact neither side has damaged the fields. The Hispanic clan attacked the Ukrainians when the Hispanics were driven off of their turf to the west. The Ukrainians are defending their turf with all the ferocity that they used against the Russians, the Turks, the Poles, or anyone else who invaded their land. For their part, the Hispanic tribe is desperate. For them, time is running out. Unless they capture a clan center soon they will be without food for the next season. Since they started this fight with fewer fighters then they once had (because of the battle that drove them off of their turf), it is doubtful that they will be able to capture this clan center. Instead they will have to try their luck on the dreaded south side where nightmare creatures still walk in the daylight.

Cannibal Tribe: This tribe is centered on the Indian Hill Golf Course and the Kenilworth area. Their size is unknown and little is known about this tribe since they do not trade or come to the Freezone and people captured by them never escape. It is said that the reason for this is that captives from other clans become the guest of honor at a cannibalistic dinner. Even their language is unknown as when their raiding parties are caught they always fight to the death. If desperate, they will kill themselves rather then being captured alive. The only thing certain is that they send raiding parties out each week to capture someone for their weekly feasts. The Black, Latino, and Jewish clans are favorite targets for these raiding parties but whether this is because of some taste for them or whether it is simply their relative nearness to the Cannibals is not known for sure.

Hillbilly Clan: This clan is centered on the old U.S. Naval Air Station. They speak English and number about 200 members, including 45 fighters. This clan is descended from people who came to the northern cities from the rural areas of West Virginia, Tennessee, and North Carolina. Their dialect is distinctly Southern in flavor although they have many words and phrases that come from Shakespearean English. Left to themselves it is likely that they would do little scavenging but the advantages of trading are obvious to them. They are relatively new at this and have only seriously begun to scavenge the ruins in the past five or ten years. The result is that they will often have the richest booty for trade at the Freezone and there is often a crowd of traders around them. This richness has attracted a lot of attention from other clans and as a result there have been many raids on their turf recently. They have responded to this with a kind of relish for fighting that their ancestors generally saved for hunting raccoons. While they do not like the tax charged by the Machine, they get along with them tolerably well. One of the chief trade items she introduced was corn whiskey. This proved very popular and has made the Hillbilly tribe very rich even considering that most of the “White Lightning” they make never reaches the market.

Jewish Clan: This clan is centered on the Evanston Golf Course and the Skokie area. They speak a mix of Hebrew, Russian, and Yiddish. They number some 180 members, including 35 fighters. This clan is one of the most cohesive and capable clans in all of Chicago. They have maintained a relatively high level of education and many clan members can read and write. The old traditions are still an important part of their lives and while there have been some minor accommodations to the new situation the only real difference is that their religion is 4,000 years old instead of 2,000. Capable traders, they also farm extensively and well, sharing jobs among clan members. One might almost call their group a commune rather then a clan.

The Galil: This clan has an extraordinary relic–an old Galil assault rifle. This rifle was brought to Chicago by an ex-Israeli who returned to Chicago just before the War. It has been carefully preserved and is still functional. While the presence of such weapons is not unheard of among clans (after all they make fine clubs) most of them are obviously not in working order. The fact that this one still works is amazing. Even more amazing is that they have people who know how to use it and ammo that has been carefully preserved. The training has been carefully handed down as a clan tradition and the ammo has been kept in sealed boxes, safely stored away. While the ammo is not entirely reliable, 80% or more of it still works. There are standing orders among the clan that the rifle is only to be used in dire emergencies and then only in a single shot, semi-auto mode.

8) FORT MORROW

The Snake Eater Team: The team was drawn from volunteers at the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center in June of 1985, the team is officially designated; Special Forces Special Operations Force Woodstock, or; SFSOG Woodstock. The Woodstock identifier refers to the teams freezing location, near the city of Woodstock, Illinois.

Wake-up: The team was activated some 4 years ago, presumably by a Morrow signal meant for some other team. It did not take the team members long to figure out that, as usual, things had gone badly wrong and that they were on their own, again. The team made its way into the chaos and ruins of Chicago. The rumors they had heard of organization turned out to be hilarious exaggerations. Undaunted, they decided to dig in and make some organization. The team noted that what had been the remains of O’Hare Field was a No Mans Land. Much of the land was arable and a good crop growing region, many of the buildings being of fortress like construction were still standing. Some still contained old equipment. This of course made the area a prize, constantly fought over for the past century. The team decided it was perfect for their needs. They quietly moved in on a moonless night and set up shop in the following days.

Meet the neighbors: Initially, the locals could not believe the gall of the act. Belatedly, some groups decided to attack. Superior firepower and tactics beat off all attacks. The Clans suffered horrific losses and could not have mounted more attacks had they been foolish enough to want to. Beyond this, the Clans were aware of the fact that this new “clan”, strong beyond all relationship to their numbers, was odd. They helped wounded enemies. They returned prisoners, instead of selling or eating them. In spite of their obvious superiority, they did not simply take things from their now quiescent neighbors. They traded. They talked. They could not be drawn into alliances. They left other people alone.

Settling down: Within a month the team had the beginnings of a farm, a rudimentary smithy and machine shops, a small hospital, and the inevitable still. Word spread. People began to trickle in, usually the dissolute that had been disposed by the Clans. Soon others came too. These were often former prisoners of the Snake Eaters or wounded who had been returned to their Clans. The team would feed anyone, but anyone who could work had to pitch in and help. The team began to teach. Farming, animal husbandry, metal working, reading, sanitation, etc. Unlike the “scholars” the team would teach anyone. The only thing they would not teach was military subjects. Nor would they tolerate slavery or cannibalism. People came to eat, or to learn, or just to see. Some of them stayed. The team had arrived in March. By November the first harvest was in. An unbelievably large harvest by local standards, it, more then anything else, showed the locals that this “Clan” knew what it was talking about.

Fort Morrow today: Today the Ft. Morrow community numbers some 200 souls, including the seven remaining team members. The whole of the O’Hare area is now under cultivation or pasturage with the exception of the buildings and one of the runways “just in case”. The People of Ft. Morrow are free, independent, and self governing. The team has reestablished the democratic process on the old “small town meeting” model. Elections are free to all working inhabitants of one years residence or more, one vote per person. The team leader has been elected “manager” consistently. The team has for the past three years trained some members in military lore. There is now an “army” of about 35, armed like the team. The community is self-sufficient in terms of small arms ammo, producing all of their own; including the primers. It is not as efficient as the original stuff, since the propellant they make is not as good as the original. The people are happy, well fed and looking forward to the future. The community has a herd of about 40 cattle, 60 or so sheep and goats, and innumerable chickens. They produce their own metal work, generate small amounts of electricity in a variety of ways, and produce food and alcohol in quantity. They trade with local clans and with the professors of NU.

Relations with the Machine: Strained at the moment, as the Boss tried to attack the Fort some months ago. The war is officially still on, but the status remains quo and no plans exist for renewing hostilities in the near future. Trading between the City Machine and Ft. Morrow goes on today through intermediaries. Some of the local people that come to the Fort will trade with them and then take these items to the Freezone to trade again. Both the Machine and the Fort Morrow people know about this but neither has done anything to stop it. All of this is quite an achievement, the more so since the team was not equipped to deal with what they found themselves confronted with. It is all possible only because of the training and the dedication of the team members.

The remaining team: There are currently only seven team members still living, including the Detachment Commander. A further five members, including the Team XO; have been killed over the lat four years.

9) THE UNIVERSITY

Situation, pre-war: Before the War, Northwestern University was one of the foremost universities in the Midwest. In the 70s and 80s it was well known for its journalism and business schools, its library and computer science departments. It was because of the work done in these last two fields that the school was endowed with a grant by the National Science Foundation that allowed an advanced computer to be installed for special research into information retrieval problems at the library. Part of the grant was money to “wire” the library completely and connect it to the new Cray computer bought for the project.

Situation, the war: When the bombs fell, the University was in the middle of its fall term, so most of its 20,000 students and faculty were on campus. Because the bombs targeted for Chicago fell primarily to the south of the City the University survived the initial blast more or less intact. The people who made it to the basement shelters survived.

Situation, post-war: Most of those who survived realized that the City was likely to become a death trap and so they fled to the countryside along with thousands of others who hoped to find food and safety there. Those who stayed were either unable to flee or felt that the countryside would be no safer then the remains of the City. Some of those who stayed hope to preserve the University as a center of learning, others wanted to use the facilities to rebuild the war-torn world. These survivors did what Universities so often do when faced with a crisis; they formed a committee. The Committee for the Survival of Northwestern University worked tirelessly to preserve life and civilization on the campus and the surrounding area. The intelligence of the leadership was instrumental is assuring that many people survived and the enclave grew rapidly.

Work to be done: When there was time about the work of the University again, a very simple approach was taken. Such organization as there was, was confined to the practical aspects of survival. Everyone was expected to do some work towards rebuilding the University, preparing it for winters, foraging for food, collecting water or (years later when the fear of radioactive contamination had passed) farming. Scholarly work was still conducted, but in a different manner than before. A master-apprentice relationship similar to that used in medieval schools was generally used. Surviving engineers worked on developing power sources that would give the University a small but independent power capability. This mostly involved cannibalizing equipment from various labs and in particular an experimental lab where solar energy research was being done.

Rebuilding: A terrible attack by Razers upset the University’s plans greatly, destroying much and killing man. After that, any pretense of study and learning was put aside, there was too much to do in order to survive and too few people to do it. Gradually, the University settled into a long slumber. Over the years this pattern became a fixture. Only rarely did people come seeking to learn from the scholars. Even more rarely were these people accepted as apprentices since there was so little food. The children born at the University that survived became the next generation of scholars though what they learned was fragmented and sparse. But what they did learn was eventually passed on to a new generation. Although most of the libraries had survived, few people understood much of what was in the books since it was mostly beyond their experience and skill. Worse, with no one left to look after the books in the libraries they were often lost, destroyed, or misplaced. People began to keep what books they wanted in their own rooms.

A century of growth: This situation lasted for over 100 years. The only noticeable changes were that true scholarship, if less easily acquired, became more noticeable among those who were left and more food was grown in the surrounding parks and commons. What finally ended this period was the appearance of the Freezone and the Freelanes. The establishment of the Freezone gave the University greater freedom then they had had in the past century. Many different people came to the Freezone to trade and most of these had need of one skill or another that could be found at NU. The Machine and traders often wanted records done of transactions, maps of major trade routes, or lists of taxes collected. Machines or equipment which were broken were taken to the scholars along with relics that were not understood. The latter were sometimes offered for trade to the scholars and sometimes the scholars were simply asked their opinion of the value of such relics. In addition to all of this, the University brought trade items of their own to the Freezone. Glasswork was particularly valuable as that skill had never been completely lost at the University.

Return to scholarship: The main effect this had on the University was to give the scholars more time for studying. Since their skills and knowledge once again had value it was no longer necessary to scavenge and farm for food. This also gave rise to a growth in the size of the University. New students were accepted and in a new spirit of growth and cooperation, classes were taught on the basics of reading, writing, mathematics, and in some cases, special disciplines such as chemistry or engineering. To distinguish between the new students, the older apprentices and their masters, the old titles of Bachelor, Master, and Doctor were used. There was even time for some scholars to start to look to the libraries again and some effort was made to catalog and rearrange books. In this new renaissance, scholars began to join together to plan how the University should be rebuilt. Rather then the old ways of each person pursing their studies ignorant of anybody else’s work, a new era of cooperation, planning, and discussion was proposed. Ideas such as the scientific method, referencing of sources, and the exchange of knowledge between disciplines were eagerly discussed. A printing press was planned.

Not so fast: Unfortunately, not everyone could agree on just how best to serve the future. Fights and debates were daily occurrences and this fracturing often hurt the University’s ability to function. Gradually, the University became an armed camp where two factions fought. The first, an alliance between the Preservationists and the Guardians of Knowledge became known as the Librarians and eventually the word became corrupted into a sneering insult; “Leebationists”. The second group became known as the “Engineers” and later, in a return of insults, as the “Ginners”. Over the years these names stuck until throughout Chicago the two groups are known as the Leebs and the Ginners although no one outside the University has any idea what the names mean. Although the University was fragmented, trade at the Freezone continued. Except that now there were two groups instead of one. While the Machine might have overrun the University, they preferred instead to tax both groups to get what they wanted. To them, the division of the University was very useful.

Today: Today, NU continues to split into warring factions. In all there are currently 78 scholars at the University, 46 of them are Leebationists and 32 are Ginners. The campus is divided into two camps with certain buildings as the focus for most of the attacks. From time to time, the University as a whole is attacked by a new group of Razers from the countryside who view the innovations coming from NU as being a dangerous return to the “Old Evils”. These attacks seldom serve as anything more then breaks from the fighting between the Leebationists and the Ginners unless they provide one side or the other with a diversion that can be used to launch a surprise attack against the other side.

The competitors: The Ginners are centered in the Technological Institute building while the Leebationists are centered in what was the Norris University Center. While the University library is primarily under the control of the Leebs, they do not have enough people to hold it. From time to time, successful raids by the Ginners are made on the UL. The Utility Plant, where the machinery that was used to air condition, heat, and distribute water to the University is, is now a marker for no-mans-land along with the labs and classrooms around it. The policy here is strictly “shoot first and ask questions later”. While the Ginners have the upper hand when it comes to weapons, the Leebationists counter this with superior tactics. Generally, when a new weapon is introduced from the Ginner’s labs it is only a matter of time before it shows up in the hands of the Leebs. Although both sides have their share of fanatics, the Ginners are carrying on a holy crusade. They have a Board of Inquiry that meets from time to time to ensure that the work being done by their scientists is “correct” and is free from the Leebationist “heresy”. In particular they look for books and ideas that are impractical, theoretical, or merely “unscientific”. This attitude comes from the current head of the Ginners, Melcome MacDonald who uses this fear and hate to keep an iron grip over his followers. In reaction to this ferocity, the Leebationists have developed a similar group of zealots whose task it is to order the work of preservation and to protect the knowledge from falling into the wrong hands (i.e. the Ginners). To this group, the proof of the dangers of knowledge are there for them to see in the weapons the Ginners use on them. And, if the stories of old are to be believed, the Great War resulted from the evil of allowing Ginners to use knowledge to create machines and weapons of great destruction. Because of this belief the Leebs will seize any chance they get to destroy machines or labs. Naturally, there is a certain irony in the fact that the Leebs use the weapons of the Ginners but those that think of this believe that they are in a holy war that will eliminate the need for these weapons when they succeed in destroying the Ginners.

Relations with neighbors: Both factions deal with the Machine and trade at the Freezone in Wrigley Field. The Leebationists keep records for the Boss while the Ginner’s keep the Boss’s machinery (and in particular the steamship) operational. Otherwise, they trade with Lakers, Traders, local clans, and farmers for food, books, leather, and other useful items that they can’t make or find at the University. Both the Leebs and the Ginners farm sections of campus and some of the nearby parks. Guards are always posted on the crops to prevent raids by clans or the opposite faction. Both sides have good relations with the neighboring clans although there is not a lot of trust between the clans and scholars. The scholars have a tendency to talk down to the clan members while the clans tend to give the impression that they think the scholars are insane. This is all done in the most polite fashion and each side thinks that the other side are fools. The cannibal clan immediately to the north of the University, however, is feared and hated by all and it is common practice to kill members of this clan on sight.

10) NORTHERN ILLINOIS
Northern Illinois has seen a lot of traffic over the last century and a half, as groups of refugees and marauders have all left their mark on this region of small towns and plains cities. Today, many scattered settlements can be found in the area, though there is no regional empires or even large trade networks. People generally farm and graze and keep to themselves. The closer you get to the hulking immense ruins of Chicago, the fewer people you will find.

Maxwell’s Militia: At one time, in the first few decades after the war, a strip of land in the northern half of Illinois was part of the huge Maxwell's Militia Empire (see Indiana for a complete description). This zone was basically just a corridor for travel from Indiana to Wisconsin and Minnesota and never extended further south than Interstate 74. Control even in this zone was never really secure and in a few short years after the death of the Empire's leader, the Illinois towns slipped into anarchy and isolation, cutting off the land route to the western half of the empire. Over the years, several other organizations came and went in the region, all short-lived, but all leaving scars on the land and the people.

The ruins of Rockford: Nuked 150 years ago and never able to get back on its feet, the southern edges of Rockford are now home to some 90 small-plot farmers and scavengers.

LaSalle: A small town located at the junction of two interstates, known for an enclave of Gypsy Truckers. There are perhaps 400 people in the town, mostly servicing the rigs and drivers of the Truckers. As such, all manner of goods and depravity can be found here. This reputation is a bit exaggerated, but it does keep young men traveling here to spend their money.

Freeport: A small town currently under siege by a group of well-armed wandering vagabonds, curiously called "The Mutant Fish". The Fish have taken over the entire town and are using hostages to ensure they have control over the surviving 100 people. More curiously, the Fish are trying to convince the townspeople that if they worship the “Great Fish of the Lantic” as they do, then they will have a thousand years of good harvests and pretty children.

11) CENTRAL ILLINOIS
The wide drift plains of central Illinois have always been about farming and cows. While most of the cows are gone, people still farm the river valleys and fields. The radiation has made the bluestem grass grow abnormally high in some areas, creating dangerous wildfire dangers. During the hot summer months, it is not uncommon to see massive smoke clouds from these fires.

The ruins of Springfield: Nuked by a massive 25 megaton warhead, nothing remains of value in the Springfield area and for many miles in every direction there are no people. The grasses to the east are especially high, sometimes reaching six feet or more.

Decatur: Decatur is now home to 800 farmers and herders. This is probably the most organized and best defended town in the central plains of Illinois. Settlements for many miles around rely on Decatur for trade.

Vandalia: Vandalia is home to a ragged band of armed bandits, over three dozen strong, they are known for ambushing travelers on I-70.

The ruins of Scott AFB: Nuked during the war, the rubble has been picked over many times by parties searching for food, fuel and weapons.

12) SOUTHERN ILLINOIS
Southern Illinois, as you approach the Ohio River, is generally more hilly and wooded. This combination of steep valleys and isolated glens has allowed a population to thrive for generations. Numerous small settlements dot the area, many linked by family ties and trade routes. The Free State from Kentucky is active in this region, shopping their wares to villages near the river.

Cairo: At the extreme southern tip of the state, the strategic river town of Cairo is home to a large River Trader enclave. Taking advantage of its location on the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers, Cairo has grown rich on taxing and servicing the frequent barge traffic on the rivers. Most of the traffic is from the Free State, but a lot of it is independent traders from surrounding states. The current population of the town is some 1,200 souls, with almost half living in the town proper. Cairo is a comparatively wealthy town, and is walled, gated, and well-patrolled by an efficient and active militia. It is a center of trade and commerce for the area, attracting business from all over the region, with regular trade and travel both up and down the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers. Free State merchants control parts of the economy, but have not been able to totally take over like they would prefer.

Marauders: The thickly-wooded Shawnee National Forest in Southern Illinois is an area of strange rock formations, dolomite hills, caves, narrow valleys and tiny isolated towns. It has been a wonderful place to hide for tens of thousands of years, and several groups of bandits keep the Cairo militia busy running them down. Even these bandits know better than to ambush the frequent Free State traders that enter the area.

Carbondale: A simple farming community of 110 people that has grow up around the sheltered remains of the Southern Illinois University campus. These people have for generations kept a collection of textbooks safe, hoping to one day find a use for them. These are some of the best science and math textbooks left in the Midwest.

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MICHIGAN

Michigan is home to many interesting places where one may live a peaceful life, or die a violent death.

1) NUCLEAR TARGETS

Flint, SS-18M1
Grand Rapids, SS-N-17
Lansing, SS-N-17
Ludington Hydroelectric Dam, SS-17
K.I. Sawyer AFB, Skandia, SS-N-17
Kincheloe AFB, Rudyard, SS-N-8
Wurtsmith AFB, Oscoda, SS-17
Selfridge AFB, Mount Clemons, SS-17
Donald Cook 1 Nuclear Reactor, Bridgeman, SS-N-8
Big Rock Nuclear Reactor, Petoskey, SS-17

Discretionary nuclear targets:
Camp Grayling, Grayling, SS-N-8
Palisades Nuclear Reactor, South Haven, SS-17
Traverse City, SS-18M1b

2) MORROW PROJECT ASSETS
Manned Resupply Base: Located on the island of Isle Royale. Taken by locals soon after the war, the base has been held by them ever since.
Shoreside Supply Facility 2: Support base for the larger Manned Resupply Base on Isle Royale. Located in Ontanogan, hidden beneath the ramshackle ruins of "Morrow Shipping and Storage", a typical pre-war small-time shipping operation, with two large warehouses, four lines of rental-storage lockers, some small piers, and the remains of a helipad. The underground facility is still fully operational, containing two disassembled fusion-powered LCACs and much heavy lift equipment to be used by Teams looking to resupply from Isle Royale. (Thanks, Thomas Kozak)
Combined Team 17: Bolthole location unknown, but somewhere northeast of Grayling. 13 members with one Devers M3 IFV with TOW II, one Commando Scout, and one Fusion Motorcycle.
Mars Force M-5: Bolthole location unknown, but somewhere in Michigan. 12 members. Team awoke 12 years ago and has since gone rogue.
Recon Team M-1: Bolthole location unknown, but somewhere in southern Michigan. 2 members, with one Commando Scout.
Recon Team M-2: Bolthole location unknown, but somewhere in northern Michigan. 6 members, with one Commando V-150 and one Fusion Motorcycle.
Recon Team M-3: Bolthole location unknown, but somewhere in northern Michigan. 2 members, with one Commando Scout.
Recon Team M-4: Bolthole location unknown, but somewhere in southern Michigan. 4 members, with one Squad Carrier Humvee.
Recon Team M-5: Bolthole location unknown, but somewhere in southern Michigan. 4 members, with one Commando V-150.
Recon Team M-6: Bolthole location unknown, but somewhere in central Michigan. 4 members, with two Commando Scouts.
Recon Team M-7: Bolthole location unknown, but somewhere in southern Michigan. 4 members, with one Commando V-150. Team's bolthole was discovered by marauders long ago, and raided before activation.
Recon Team M-8: Bolthole location unknown, but somewhere in southern Michigan. 4 members, with two FAVs.
Recon Team M-10: Bolthole location unknown, but somewhere in central Michigan. 2 members, with one Commando Scout.
Recon Team F-17: Bolthole location unknown, but somewhere in Central Michigan. Frozen on January 20, 1982. They have the standard six caches, though one is now under a flooded river and another is in an impact zone for a nuke.
Recon Team G-9: Bolthole location unknown, but somewhere on the Upper Peninsula. Frozen on November 13, 1981, this is the only Recon team in the entire UP. MPVs are one Commando Scout and one XR-311. They have the standard six caches.
Recon Team AL-14: Bolthole location unknown. This Recon Team awakened about four years ago and discovered that two of their number had succumbed to hibernation-induced psychosis. This is a very rare but dreadful side affect of prolonged cryo-sleep. These two unfortunates were left almost completely catatonic, reduced to the level of 3-year olds. Mercy stayed the Team Leader’s hand and he didn’t euthanize them on the spot.
Science Team M-2: Bolthole location unknown, but somewhere in northern Michigan. 7 members, with one Commando V-350.
Agricultural Team M-1: Bolthole location unknown, but somewhere in southern Michigan. 4 members, with one Peterson Combine, one Tractor, one Tandem Truck, and one Humvee with trailer.
Agricultural Team M-2: Bolthole location unknown, but somewhere in central Michigan. 3 members, with one Peterson Combine, one Tractor, one Tandem Truck, and one Humvee with trailer.

3) SOUTHERN MICHIGAN
The gritty industrial cities in the southern quarter of the state suffered greatly from nukes, refugee swarms and rioting in the wake of the nuclear war. Over the past 150 years, the ruins of these cities have been controlled by any number of petty dictators, military juntas and citizen groups. All have failed in their turn to unite the region. Even the great Maxwell's Militia was unable to have more than nominal control over the area. Today, there are a few small local kingdoms but mostly the settlements go it alone.

Kalamazoo: A small settlement of 275 farmers and hunters is located in the southern suburb of Portage. They have a small militia, about half mounted on horses.

Ann Arbor: Once a large college town, Ann Arbor is now home to just a few hundred, who try to eek out a bare living in the parks and open areas remaining in the city. A Muslim clan called the "Egyptians" still control some of the neighborhoods around the college campus, and they raise packs of mutant pit bulls to patrol their territory.

Battle Creek: The self-styled "People's Republic of Battle Creek" is the last remnant of the once great Maxwell Empire, which controlled a wide strip of southern Michigan a century ago. What with a population of just 1,200, they can barely run their own enclave, let alone pose a threat to other towns. The militia boasts just 65 men, though they are well-armed. The current militia commander has set up an agreement with the local merchants to provide security and convoy escort services in return for food and shelter. Over the last few years, he has become increasingly oppressive as his control over the food and commerce grows, and the local populace has been correspondingly restive. Open rebellion has been avoided so far.

The ruins of Lansing: Destroyed by a nuke and by subsequent riots and refugees over the years. The center of the city is not inhabited, but the outskirts support a modest population.

Pontiac State Hospital: This mental institution didn’t fare very well during the war. Many of the staff left the area shortly after the bombs fell, and left the inmates to their own devices. Those few that were left tried to maintain order and some semblance of “sanity” to the situation, to no avail. The supplies, both food and medicine began to run out, and the staff became very nervous. In this environment of fear and confusion, the facility came under the control of a demented orderly. This man, using the influence and physical power he had over the others, he came up with a great plan. They would loot all the surrounding homes, sporting goods stores and shopping centers, to gain the materiel required to survive. Using his considerable arsenal of weapons, and manpower pool, they would take over the area and impose order. Their campaign went quite well, all things considered. The virtual impregnability of their sanitarium/fortress guaranteed their success. They could strike in the night and return to their walled and gated grounds secure that they could repel any invader. They managed to gather sufficient material and supplies to last throughout the first nuclear winter. The only problem was the damned inmates. Not only did they eat too much, but also rarely if ever could be depended on to do any real work. By springtime, they decided to banish the inmates. Those who were too incapacitated to help out were marched out of the gates, and left to their own devices. The others, who were able to help out, were kept in menial slave-like conditions. 150 years later, the descendents of these people are still in the area. Known to the locals as “Binners” (from Loony Bin), they are now led by a man named Alvin. There are now about 100 people here. They have horses for transport, though they formerly had some vehicles working until recently. They are familiar with steam power, rudimentary power generation methods, and rely on hunting and farming to survive. They don’t have a lot of modern weapons left and those few they do, have very little ammo. They do have quite a few crossbows, slingshots and blowguns, and know how to use them fairly well. (Thanks, Michael Chestnutt)

The ruins of Detroit: The Detroit area was smashed by numerous nuclear warheads, nearly wiping the city from the face of the planet. The numerous defense and automotive plants each received MIRV attention, guaranteeing that no one is going to be producing replacement V-150s for the conceivable future. The narrow Detroit River is still choked with rubble and ships broken in half or shoved into the mud by falling debris, their mangled, rusting superstructures barely sticking out of the water. Only small boats with very shallow drafts are able to get through except in very high rain seasons. This has served to isolate the various Shipmen groups on the two lakes.

All the King's men: The far southern fringes of Detroit are now firmly under the grip of the ageing "King of Detroit", a benevolent dictator who has ruled for some 43 years now. The title was given by his subjects in jest originally, but over time he took up the kingly title with relish. The King is based out of a remarkably intact Hyatt Regency hotel in Trenton, with a field headquarters in an old General Motors car dealership in Flat Rock. Out of a total population of some 1,000 people, the King has a standing army of 200 armed soldiers with enough various weapons stored to arm nearly a thousand more on short notice. It has been several decades since the King cleaned out the last of the organized resistance in the Detroit area and has been expanding outward in an attempt to gain more farming area. Most all the available parks and even some freeway medians have already been planted but it has proved inadequate for the growing population. They have already occupied portions of Amhurstburg, Ontario and have explored much of Ontario by now.

The King afloat: The King has always been interested in fostering peaceful relations and trade with the surrounding country and has realized that water transport is the way to go. The kingdom currently has a small fleet of ships to trade based at Trenton's docks. The fleet includes two large sailing ships, a huge bulk carrier converted to sail power, and two "gunboats" with homemade black powder cannons bolted on their decks to provide encouragement for unco-operatives. They have favorable trade agreements with the Shipmen in Lake Eire, realizing that they are a vital source of trade and information. Through this they have had frequent contact with the Republic of Cleveland and the various successors to Maxwell’s Empire in Indiana and Ohio.

The Saint Clair People: Between Lakes Eire and Huron is the small Lake Saint Clair, nestled between two bottlenecks, Detroit to the south and Port Huron to the north. During the war, Detroit and Sarnia, Ontario (across from Port Huron), were both heavily nuked. Suddenly, Lake Saint Clair was almost completely cut off. While much shipping was destroyed by the blast effects of the nukes, when everything settled down, there were a number of large ships still afloat in the lake. These included a huge 85,000 ton oil tanker and three bulk container ships. Over time, the crews of these four ships decided to join together and stay at sea, seeing as how the people ashore were busy killing each other in a frenzy of violence. The ships were moved out of the shipping channel and brought together in the center of the lake. Anchors were dropped, the ships were fastened together, and the sailors hunkered down to wait out the chaos. With the two outlets partially blocked, the water level of the lake (never very deep to begin with) slowly lowered. It wasn't too many years before the four ships were sitting in the muck, now permanently stuck in the lake. This actually was an advantage as they didn't have to worry about the ships sinking on their own. Over the generations, a thriving community of fishermen has evolved on the ships. Today, they are still "floating" there, a large "town" in the center of the shallow lake. The water level in the lake now averages about six feet, which from a distance gives the illusion that the ships are still afloat. About 95 years ago, a large raft nearly a hundred yards long was constructed to be used as a "dock" for the community. The garbage produced by the community, once just tossed overboard, quickly became a problem. For some time now, refuse is placed on special rafts and floated east to the shore of the lake where it is dumped. As the lake has receded, the trash middens have moved slowly west. These people are proud of their heritage and it is not uncommon for people to never step foot on dry land their entire lives. A large fleet of shallow draft boats are based at the town, fishing the deeper western edge of the lake where the old shipping channel was and bringing goods from the shore to the ships. Relations with the King of Detroit are excellent, and the King even visited the ships once and was duly impressed.

4) CENTRAL MICHIGAN
The rugged spine of the peninsula survived better than many areas due to the terrain and the general stubbornness of the people. Surrounded as it is by lakes, the remaining inland and coastal communities on the northern half of the Michigan peninsula have been able to supplement their food stocks with fishing. Homegrown marauders still trouble communities in the thick forests, and the “Imps” have proven dangerous.

Before the war: The area of central Michigan was severely effected by the war. Grayling (“Riverton”) was a fair-sized town located just north of Camp Grayling Michigan National Guard Training Area. The camp caught a nuclear weapon during the war, the warhead wiping out most of the camp and damaging a fair amount of the town. Part of the camp survived, however, as well as a unit of Michigan National Guard Military Policemen who were training at the camp at the time.

After the bomb: The aftereffects of the nuclear strike in central Michigan were familiar to hundreds of similar areas across the nation. Out of control fires, panic citizens, rioting, shootings and a total loss of civic control were all experience. The surviving military personnel at Camp Grayling were overwhelmed by the influx of survivors looking for both help and a authority figure. Unknown to the soldiers and the survivors, several survivors brought virulent bio-plagues with them. Within days the entire Camp was infected and the population was dying off. A small unit of Military Policemen left the Camp in time and moved to the town of Grayling. This was the only military unit that escaped the epidemic. Once in Grayling, these Military Policemen tried to help, and for a while it looked like the town would pull through. Then the swarms of refugee from the southern cities arrived. There was severe fighting between the locals and the refugees, who were not well-armed but were desperate and without anything to loose. By the winter the town was "saved", though mostly burned down and with piles of dead in the streets. The survivors started to rebuild, moving to farming to feed themselves. Then came the Soviets.

The Soviets: Just days after the Soviet landings in Alaska (see that state), an understrength Airborne Battalion was airlifted from a captured airfield in British Columbia. Using up the very last drops of their fuel, they were able to fly across the country, and make it all the way to Ontario. This Battalion landed near Red Rock, just to the northeast of Thunder Bay and immediately set out to hunt down and destroy any surviving Canadian military forces or armed civilians. In the resulting battles, the Soviet forces soundly defeated the poorly-organized and under-armed soldiers and civilians. Over the next few months they sent out expeditionary patrols to inspect and the Canadian and American military bases in the area. This included Camp Grayling. The Soviets arrived just as the bio-plague was taking it full effect. With the arrival of the Soviet force, a battle broke out between them and a combined force of the few still-healthy armed survivors and soldiers. The better armed Soviet soldiers wiped out most of the civilians and soldiers within a matter of hours. They did take losses of their own though, and to make matters worse, they contracted the same disease that was had been ravaging the base. The Soviets began to strip the base of any useful equipment. This took several days, as they were being harassed by survivors using guerrilla tactics. It was then they discovered their mistake. Being good soldiers, they contacted their headquarters in Canada and informed them of their situation. They were told they could not return to the main camp, and were ordered to stay put, and wait out the disease. Within three days, every living human on the base died. (Thanks, Chris Van Deelen)

Return to the camp: By the time the Military Police unit in the town of Grayling received word of the Soviets at the camp, it was already over. A few of the MPs reconned the camp, only to quickly pull back when they say the effects of the bio-plague. It was several weeks before any of the locals ventured back into the ruins of the base. Fear of the disease was still strong, but they realized correctly that without a host, the disease will have died out. The first to test that assumption was a group from the town of Higgins Lake, who were stunned to see all those guns lying around for the taking. The Military Policemen from Grayling came back after the locals, after they had already taken many of the weapons that were lying around back to Higgins Lake. The MPs now had a treasure trove of weaponry, equipment, and even a few vehicles. All they had to do was refurbish some of the equipment and weapons, as they had been stored in the intact buildings on the base. The MPs commandeered what was left and then settled down to adapt they best way they knew how.

Grayling: The old town of Grayling is overgrown rubble liberally mixed with overgrowth-covered cars. The inhabited "new" Grayling lies on the east side of the rubble. The "town" of Grayling is comprised of a handful of permanent residents. The majority of the people live on isolated family farms. There are about 18 people living in the town and another 180 people on the farms. The farmers are highly independent, individualist and not prone to gather in large numbers. They have lived in a culture of fear for generations, fear of the Imps. The Military Police are now called the "Imps", an obvious contraction of their initials. Their true origins are remembered neither by the people nor by the Imps themselves. The Imps maintain an absolute dictatorship of arms and terror. They take as they wish, kill who they want, and answer to no one. Anyone who resists or even complains is killed. Grayling is a minor trade center, being at the intersection of several roads. The Imps do not harm the traders, as they recognize the importance of trade and commerce, but they do extract taxes and confiscations.

Camp Grayling: Today, scattered around the base are the rusting hulks of several destroyed American and Soviet-built armored vehicles. The base buildings themselves are now nothing more than piles of rubble. The base has been picked over hundreds of times by scavengers and looters. The vehicles have all been stripped down to the sold chassis, with the engines, wires, weapons, and even the wheels and tracks removed over the past years. The only reason the chassis haven't been removed is the simple fact that none of the locals have heavy enough equipment to do so. The shattered remains of Camp Grayling are now the home of a colony of Ghouls, mutated humanoids who feed off the dead. They are known to raid village cemeteries and dig up fresh corpses, carrying them back to their lair to “ripen”. This mutated race has lost all but the most basic intellect, relying mostly upon raw instinct. They have no true language, and communicate mainly through grunts and gestures. They still feel emotions like any normal human would. A mated pair still care for each other, a parent still loves its child and will do what ever is necessary to protect it, and of course, they feel fear, hate and anger. What makes the Ghouls dangerous is that they have a symbiotic link to Necrotising Fasciitis, the flesh-eating disease. It doesn't harm the ghouls, but it can infect someone if they are bitten or clawed by a Ghoul. They live together in small tribes, mainly near human or humanoid communities. These tribes range in size from a couple of mated pairs, up to around three dozen individuals, depending on the size of the community they live near (the larger the community, the more dead, thus the ability to support more ghouls). Ghouls are universally feared and hated because of both their eating habits, and their relationship with the disease. If a community discovers that a pack of Ghouls are near by, they usually send out search and destroy parties. Long ago this particular colony of Ghouls found the collapsed entrance to the base's old bunker system, and it is here that they have made their home.

The Imps: Colonel Bliss in command. Total number of Imps at camp is 165, organized into a single company, broken down into two platoons of two squads each. As military units go, the Imps are pretty sad. They are mostly thugs and killers in uniforms. While there is a veneer of military organization and discipline, the rank and file Imps are encouraged by their leaders to be brutal and violent in their dealings with both enemies and civilians alike. These, of course, are not the descendants of the actual soldiers, but wandering losers and bandits who have joined up over the years for the chance to kill, rape and plunder at will. It is also a lot easier to get food by stealing it rather than growing it yourself.

Imp equipment: Much of the Imp gear is pre-war, handed down through the generations and taken care of to an unusually degree. Uniforms are threadbare and faded, but kept darned and mended. The basic soldier carries a standard M-16A1 rifle, an M1911A1 pistol, and a variety of grenades. Counting what is in the radiated dumps, there are 215 .45 pistols, 239 9mm pistols, 32 M3A1 SMGs, and 357 M16s, though maybe only a quarter of all of these weapons still work. For support weapons they have five M60 light machineguns and three M2 heavy machineguns with ample ammunition. They also have two 81mm mortars.

Imp vehicles: The Imps have nine operational vehicles that they use. These all run on alcohol and are in various shades of rust, kept running through cannibalizing other vehicles. They have three jeeps, three deuce-and-a-half trucks and three M60A1 tanks. Only one of the tanks is kept ready at any given time, the other two can be made ready given a few hours preparation.

Imp base: The Imps are based in a pre-war complex of buildings on the camp. These buildings survived the nuke hit by the fortunate rise of a ridge that sheltered the buildings from the fireball. The base is well-protected with fences and towers and regular patrols. Nothing short of an organized military thrust will penetrate the base. Or a really sneaky MP team. The Ghouls live in on the opposite side of the base, separated from the Imps by the radioactive crater.

Higgins Lake: A small town of 122 people just south of the ruins of Camp Grayling. They grow crops of grain and corn, and various types of vegetables. They also fish the nearby lake for food. As for livestock, the townsfolk have about seventy head of cattle, numerous sheep, pigs, chickens and goats. They also make and trade wooden items such as furniture, tanned leathers, and food. They will trade for just about anything, but they are more interested in ammunition for their weapons, or stock to make their own ammo. The town is not walled, and is surrounded by both tilled fields and in some areas, well-groomed clusters of trees. As for personal weapons, the townsfolk are surprisingly armed with a number of old, but well-maintained pre-war military rifles, of both American and Soviet make. These powerful weapons have been handed down from father to son since the war broke out. On top of that, the townsfolk also have a number of black powder rifles. The people here have very little contact with the Imps from further north, though there have been several hostile encounters over the last century. Lately, both groups have even done a little trading and relations are cordial if not openly friendly. (Thanks, Chris Van Deelen)

The Rogues: Northeastern Michigan is home to a wandering force of former pre-war US Marines and MP personnel, all deserters working on their own. Remaining members of Mars Force M-5, and a company of Marines joined together along with locals. Consists of 3 former MP members, 28 former United States Marines, and 168 local recruits. They wear three-color BDUs and have top-of-the-line personal weapons, including M16A3s, pistols and many grenades. They also have some crew-served .50 caliber HMGs. They have two self-propelled M109A2s with two M992 FAASVs, four Amtracs, two fire support Humvees, two squad carrier Humvees, one LAV-75, and two LAV-25s. These are all Marine vehicles, the only surviving MP vehicle is a single MPGS-90. Led by Calvin Johnson, formerly Team Commander of MARS Force M-5, now “Chief Warlord of the Rogues”. They have few lofty goals, just to, “try and make good from the bad, plus make a few bucks and have some fun along the way." They are a bit mercenary, but they are still here to do a good job and help the people of America. They will have little to do with the Project initially, but may come around eventually. They have raided several MP caches already. Mars Force M-5 awoke 12 years ago and has spent that entire time fighting bandits, slavers, thieves, Krells, and other disgusting types to numerous to mention. Out of 12 original members, only three still live. The Marines were part of the Snake-Eater program to keep tabs of the Morrow Project. Usually the Snake-Eaters were Special Forces A-Teams, but the Marines and other groups were used to provide heavy fire support and outright infantry forces. They were frozen in an old mine in northern Colorado, and were awoken by a slight tremor about five years ago. After learning of the US's situation, they embarked upon a Morrowesque program of their own without much success, but with a fair amount of casualties. Their force originally numbered 120 men, but they were down to 36 within three years. Two years ago the met the remnants of the Mars Force. After some intense negotiations, both of the groups decided to merge for the good of themselves first, and then the country afterward. As a former infantry major in an Marine Amphibious Unit, Johnson was the natural selection for overall leader. (Thanks, James Barnwell)

NEW!!! A short Ballooner adventure set in west-central Michigan, The Air Pirates.

5) THE UPPER PENINSULA
The inhabitants of the UP have always considered themselves a state apart, and the war and subsequent chaos have only emphasized that separation. No nukes impacted on the Peninsula (the SLBM aimed at KI Sawyer AFB malfunctioned in space and the SLBM aimed at Kincheloe AFB fell short in Alberta, Canada), and deaths from radiation and germs were minimal. Since the war took place in the winter, and life in the UP pretty much stops for the winter, the immediate effects of the war were hard to see. The hardy, mainly rural folk of the region are used to harsh winters and isolation, so they survived better than most Americans. There was some fighting in the UP, mostly with escaped convicts from the State Prison in Marquette, but that was short-lived. The surviving convicts fled into the thick forests where their descendants still lurk. Society changed very little.

Life after the war: But life did change. The shipping on the lakes dried out, there was no more radio or TV from the south, and there was no more trade and travel to the rest of the nation. Never reliant on technology, the people up here found it easier than most to survive without it. The elk and the deer began to return in greater numbers and hunting has been productive. Areas in the interior do not use steam, water and wind fulfill their relatively modest needs. Wolves have become a problem, especially in winter. Packs are never larger than 20 to 25, but such a pack is too large for a single person to deal with. As a result, people seldom travel alone in the winter months. Weaponry is produced locally, mostly black powder flint-locks, some with rifled barrels. They are expert shots and these guns are highly prized.

Government: There is currently no central government in the UP. While all towns and villages have some local government and areas roughly the size of counties may have a district government, all power remains in the hands of the people in the villages.

Marquette: Marquette, the only large town on the peninsula, has again reached the level of steam power. These steam engines burn wood instead of coal and are less efficient than those of the late 19th century, but are useful nonetheless. However, there is little electricity produced due to the cost in time and energy to gather the wood to heat the boilers. Marquette is trying to introduce a copper coinage and wandering traders are picking up on it. However, it will be years before such a system is widely accepted. Northern Michigan University, while no longer a functioning university, is still a center of learning. It has been maintained a best as possible, with particular care given to the library. It is a matter of pride in the counties to have at least one scholar at the University. Classes are flexible and there are no degrees. It is a place where locals can have questions of all types answered.

Wittsend: A thriving village of free and independent farmers and hunters south of Marquette. It is surrounded by a wall of earth and wood. While all the people in the town tend to get along, cultural groups do exist. No group has a clear numerical or social superiority. There are the "Upanites", the run-of-the-mill townspeople, the "Amerinds", descendants of the Indian Reservations on the UP, and the "Finnlanders", the ethnic Finns who have lived in this area of Michigan for centuries. Wittsend trades heavily within their immediate area and with Marquette. They have heard of the Amerind Empire to the west, but have had no contact. Wittsend is noted for its production of high-quality black powder rifles, much in demand by locals and traders alike.

Finnlander: The county seat, populated mostly by people of Finnish descent.

The Cons: A large en-masse prison escape from Michigan State Prison in 1989 spawned many marauder "armies" across the Upper Peninsula, many of their descendants are still causing trouble in the area, especially in the Hiathawa National Forest and between Raco and Hulbert in Chippewa County. Most of these aren't larger than 20 men but there are a few that have upward to 50 men, though there are not more than 500 total in the UP. Over the generations, they have added unsavory elements from various populations to their numbers. The individual bands rarely cooperated with one another, and often fight over territory. If they were to ever unite, they would surely be a force to reckon with. The Cons have no society to speak of and few can read. Either a person is born a con, or you have to have been exiled from a community to join. They live a hard existence constantly on the razor's edge of starvation. With the coming of the Badges to the UP, the Cons might find their lives even harder.

Damocles: A super-secret US government base, controlled by a powerful AI unit, able to activate MP teams at will. Damocles is located in the center of the Upper Peninsula. It is east of Highway 75, and west of Lake Huron. Construction began in 1980 and was just completed before the war, in fact, final trials were still being run with the system when the bombs fell. If this base is taken intact, it can perform as a smaller version of Prime Base, a potential goldmine for the Project.

Damocles' defenses: The installation is well defended by numerous robotic weapon systems, all controlled by the AI. Static defenses include minefields, electric fences and detectors, radar sets and guard towers with machinegun turrets. Active defenses include four "Mobile Defense Units", which are basically robotic M60 tank hulls mounting machineguns and auto-cannons and running on electricity. There are also ten "Internal Defense Units", which are small, half-man sized wheeled robots armed with twin machineguns for internal perimeter defense. Additionally, there are a quantity of unarmed maintenance and surveillance units of various sizes and capabilities.

The Badges: Currently residing in the Upper Peninsula is a group of Badges. This group consists of nineteen men and seven women. They travel via five old, but well-maintained Crown Vic highway interceptors. They also have two old Ford Ranger pickup trucks which they use to carry extra fuel, food, and their personal belongings, which also includes a fairly large collection of old law text books. The Badges carry a variety of weapons, but mainly old .38 revolvers, 12 gauge shotguns, and four M-16's. They also have some hand grenades and seven LAW rockets. They all have hand-held communication gear, and each vehicle has a built-i