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

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SECTION FOUR: The Oil States (Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas, Louisiana)
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OKLAHOMA

1) NUCLEAR TARGETS

Oklahoma City, SS-N-8
Tulsa, SS-17
Clinton Sherman AFB, SS-N-17
Altus AFB, SS-N-8

Discretionary nuclear targets:
Vance AFB, SS-17
Fort Sill, SS-N-8

2) MORROW PROJECT
Later…

3) TULSA

The war: Once the buckle of the bible belt, Tulsa was home to a powerful and wealthy right-wing religious group founded by TV evangelist Oral Roberts. The single nuclear warhead targeted on the city had a faulty altimeter and exploded about three miles too high, saving much of the infrastructure. Unfortunately, the resulting riots and fires destroyed about 50% of the city by the end of the winter. The massive EMP burst over the city ruined every ability to fight the fires, which rampaged through the city, eventually burning themselves out with the next big snowfall. Over time, the areas that survived better than others began to rebuild. Most importantly, a large part of the campus of Oral Roberts University survived, including the Radio and Television Arts building. In fact, Oral Roberts himself survived the chaos, working tirelessly for years to help his people get through the worst of the terrible suffering.

Today: 150 years later, Tulsa is a growing trade and commerce center for east-central Oklahoma. Religion is still king here, but generations of survival have made basic secular concerns just as important. Tulsa has seen steady population growth over the last century, with most of the people coming in from rural areas in Kansas and Missouri fleeing from the Krell. The total population of the city is now about 7,800, making it one of the largest in the region. Trade is conducted with a network of farming and grazing towns spread out in the countryside. Relations with the Osage Indians are cordial, though age-old racial opinions often keep both sides apart. The Krell are always looming on the northern horizon, and an occasional Krell recon team is spotted in Oklahoma. Tulsa is making plans to deal with the invasion that will certainly come one day. Balancing this with their religious views ends up with hours of debates and prayer sessions for the town leadership.

Defenses: The city has a standing militia, of course, and a "militia commitment" has to be fulfilled by citizens of a certain age. At any given time, there are just 90 standing men in arms. There are enough trained reserves at any time to make a force of 350 men in two days time. Full-time soldiers wear unremarkable tan and gray uniforms, the reserves are issued only colored armbands. Men are armed with flintlocks and salvaged pre-war weapons. The standard flintlock rifle is known as the “Tulsa Six” and is made right here in the city. The dozen or so remaining pre-war weapons are issued only to special units. They also have homemade explosives and metal plate “body armor”, which protect the head and chest from musket shots.

The Radio Station: Tulsa is now home to one of the largest operating radio station in America. Known just as “The Station” or more accuately, “God’s Station”, it broadcasts daily sermons, weather reports, and emergency news, all with a heavily religious slant, but invaluable to the locals. This was once a backup transmitter for broadcasts from Oral Roberts University, and was in storage when the EMP from the war destroyed all other large transmitters in the city. Originally restarted about 6 years after the war, the Station has been in near continual operation ever since. The knowledge specific to the Station has been passed down through the generations by a specific group of technicians and engineers.

Over the years, the Station has been powered by electricity generated by gasoline engines, coal-fired boilers, crude solar panels, even once a team of oxen turning a flywheel after a storm destroyed their generator. Currently, the Station is on the air thanks to a steam-powered generator cobbled together from a million different parts. At the end of each broadcast is a standard plea for anyone in listening distance to bring any salvaged radio or electronic circuitry parts to the Station. About six or seven times a year someone will arrive with an invaluable piece of salvaged technology to help keep the Station on the air a little longer. What they really need is something really reliable, like a fusion powerpack…

The actual range of the Station depends on the weather, but in perfect conditions it can be heard up to 125 miles in a circle around Tulsa. The actual average for clear, uninterrupted reception is closer to 75 miles. Within that circle there are a number of settlements who have benefited greatly from the Station’s offerings. Through a century-long program of salvaging and repairing radio sets and small generators to distribute throughout the listening area. Today, those communities that have an operating radio value them as the greatest asset they have. Most larger towns have one, sometimes two if they are extremely lucky, and all are “owned” by the community as a whole. As the broadcast times are set, people schedule their day around being in the community building to listen to the radio.

People bring regular shipments of food to the Station, not so much to pay for the broadcasts, as they are free, but in thanks for them. It might not be surprising to learn that the “radio personalities” have developed a kind of celebrity status rare in post-apoc America. Certain preachers and newsmen are lauded as the best speakers or the most entertaining, and everyone has their own favorites. These radio hosts make occasional trips out into the farmlands, so the people usually have a face to place with the voice. One particularly handsome young radio preacher has been known to make the ladies swoon when he rides into town.

4) EASTERN OKLAHOMA
Outside of the farming area that feeds Tulsa, there are a number of notable settlements.

Osage: This area is home to a growing tribe of Amerinds. These Indians are the survivors of a tribe that lived in this area some 150 years ago. Following the war, and the changing weather patterns, the tribe pulled up stakes and moved north into Kansas to settle along the more fertile Kansas River. When the Krell reared its ugly head, the tribe fought back. For a while it looked like they might prevail, but then the Krell hit the tribe's main encampment with a nerve gas shell and some 2,000 people died. The survivors, mostly warparties out in the field at the time, fought a fighting retreat south, taking more losses before the Krell stopped and let them go. They headed back to their ancestral lands in Oklahoma, where they set about rebuilding their tribe. Since most of the survivors were men, they began to look for wives amongst the local population to increase their numbers. Today, the tribe is nearly 800 strong again and is spread out in the eastern counties of Oklahoma in an area of many lakes and rivers. Relations with the Tulsa enclave are fairly good, with some trade conducted along established routes.

Vinita: Northeast of Tulsa, Vinita is a strong farming community that is protected by mercenary braves of the Osage tribe, which have kept the town safe from most of the area's more adventurous marauder bands for the last decade.

Kinta: A small farming settlement along the ruins of Highway 31. To the south of the town are the Sans Bois Mountains, now home to a nomad clan called the "Wild Bunch". There are rumors that something "out of the ordinary" may be going on in the hills, maybe something unnatural...

The Frozen Chosen: In the past few years, patrols of Frozen Chosen scouts have been seen in this area, checking out the local situation. See Arkansas for a complete description.

5) CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
The war was not kind to central Oklahoma. All the cities in the area were either nuked or destroyed in the resulting chaos. The central plains are mostly abandoned now, with little organization above the town level. Further south, "Near Oklahoma", the area just north of Red River, has coalesced into many small "city states" and farming regions. This area is often rough and lawless. The southern edge of the state is a wild land of swamps, forests and lakes.

The ruins of Oklahoma City: Atomized during the war, little remains of this once peaceful city out in the plains. The flatness of the ground served to spread out the blast effects and offered little impediment for the firestorms, resulting in nearly every structure in the city being leveled or burnt. The ruins are surrounded by a burned-out area about 10 square miles in area, home to many mutated species of plants and bugs. Only a few scavengers can be found here.

Indians: The Seminole reservation survived the war by the skin of their teeth. Unlike more isolated Indian areas in the north, the small reservation here was swamped by refugees from Oklahoma City and Tulsa, bringing violence and disease to kill off about half the native population. By the time the chaos died down, only a hardcore group of survivors was left. This group’s unique skills and determination were instrumental in the revival of the Seminole over the next 50 years. Today, the Seminole Nation has some 3,000 members but is still content to live in central Oklahoma. Relations with other settlements of whites have generally been good, but there have been instances of violence over the generations. Relations with the Osage Indians to the east of Tulsa have not been as good, as cultural clashes over the last decade have cut off nearly all ties between the two tribes.

Purcell: Following the war, people in the region migrated away from the devastated large cities and radiation death. Purcell, located in prime agricultural farming land near the Canadian River south of the ruins of Oklahoma City, eventually began to absorb a large number of wanderers and homeless. Over the generations, the town has grown and stagnated in a cycle familiar to most survivor communities. Today, Purcell is a thriving river trade town specializing in corn and animal hides. Some 750 people live in the town and the surrounding county. Trade with the local communities is brisk, but Republic of Texas traders offer the best prices, though they only come twice a year.

6) NORTHWESTERN OKLAHOMA
From the north-south stretch of Highway 81 west to the Texas border and along the Panhandle there is virtually nothing. Nearly all the towns in between have been long ago abandoned as the area has seen so many droughts.

Enid: Home to some 400 farmers and townspeople, the largest town in the area. A low sand bag and timber wall has been built around the town square, though it has been a long time since anyone attacked the town.

Vance Air Force Base: Nuked by multiple warheads and still a tangle of twisted rusted girders and piles of bricks and stones. Much of the Enid Plains are still polluted by residual fallout from these strikes.

7) SOUTHWESTERN OKLAHOMA
This area of rolling hills and open grasslands is home to a number of larger settlements, taking advantage of the swift Cache and Wachita Rivers and the plentiful game in the Wichita Mountains.

Lawton: Once one of the larger farming and grazing settlements in this part of Oklahoma, Lawton has seen a dramatic turn for the worse. Last year, during a particularly bad seasonal drought, some of the more radical members of the town council took over, ostensibly to preserve law and order during the drought. Lawton is now under the control of a "popularly elected Mayor" (tyrant) and his "citizens militia" (death squad soldiers). It is a horrible situation for the citizens, as the thugs have ultimate power of life and death over them, dispensing it seemingly at whim. Everyone knows that if you want your rations of food and want to drink clean water that you have to submit to the Mayor. People are fleeing in the night in trickles and batches. The Mayor has some old artillery guns used to put down riots and to let people know he is master of their lives. The guns came from nearby Fort Sill and it is rumored that they soldiers there want them back.

Fort Sill Military Reservation: The SS-N-8 targeted here was a dud, landing in the town of Hulen, about fifteen miles southeast of the Fort. Over time, most of the soldiers left for their homes across the nation and the Fort fell into disrepair. A small cadre of soldiers and officers remained, however, and have formed the basis of the community since. Fort Sill is still a military base, even though not in the same form it was 150 years ago. The “military presence” here is mostly ceremonial as the last few generations of soldiers have little idea what the "US Army" or "America" were really about. By now, they are mostly farmers and hunters wearing copied BDUs and following a few ancient military customs. The 1st Cav from Texas sent a platoon up here some 80 years ago, looking for cannon shells and spare parts. At the time, the Texans were not well received, but now the soldiers at Fort Sill would surely welcome the Texans. The total population of the base is around 325 people, fully half of them women. Though close to the chaos and tyranny in Lawton, this base has been kept clear of that mess due to some long-standing treaties between the base and Lawton. It is questionable how long this truce will last however, and the Fort Sill community is planning on a move to the south across the river.

Chickasaw: Chickasha is home to a community of 785 people led by a man named Tommy Hall, a duly elected mayor. To his credit, in his fifteen years on the job, Tommy has cleaned up the town, restored sewer and water service and even kept the epidemics down. Tommy, however, is not a nice guy and has been known to run off, kill, or enslave anyone who stands in his way or disagrees with him. Recently, refugees from Lawton have been arriving with stories of the terrible situation there. Tommy is considering his options, which include a military expedition.

Elk City: The past three months have seen over a dozen well-executed marauder attacks on this largish farming village, most of them coming from a Bandit clan based in the Black Kettle National Grasslands nearby. Elk City is running out of bullets and fingers to pull triggers. The trouble started when the townspeople caught a young boy stealing a cow. The boy, who was a stranger to the town, escaped, but not before brashly telling them that "My father's gonna come mess you up bad!".

Altus Air Force Base: A former B-52 base, nuked during the war and now abandoned to the mutant grasses and five-foot long lizards.

NEW!!! A new adventure module set in the Altus region, The Siege of Altus.

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TEXAS

1) NUCLEAR TARGETS

Houston, SS-N-8
Dallas, SS-19
El Paso, SS-18M1
Fort Worth, SS-N-17
San Antonio, SS-18M2
Amarillo, SS-N-17
Austin, SS-N-17
Beaumont, SS-19
Corpus Christi, SS-N-17
Lubbock, SS-17
Wichita Falls, SS-N-8
Abilene, SS-17
Ft. Bliss, El Paso, SS-N-17
Ft. Worth Army Depot, SS-17
Ft. Hood, Killeen, SS-19
Longhorn Army Ammunition Plant, Karnack, SS-N-17
Amarillo AFB, SS-17
Bergstrom AFB, SS-N-8
Dyess AFB, SS-N-8
Carswell AFB, SS-N-8
Sheppard AFB, SS-N-17
Lackland AFB, SS-16

Discretionary nuclear targets:
Webb AFB, SS-N-8
Goodfellow AFB, SS-17
Randolph AFB, SS-19

2) MORROW PROJECT ASSETS
Gamma Base: Location unknown, but somewhere in central Texas. Automated Supply Base for the southern region.
Combined MARS/Science Team CT-13: Bolthole location unknown, but somewhere in southeast Texas near Galveston. Composed of MARS and Science members, eight in total. They have three hovercraft; one Quequod class, one Flying Dutchman class, and one Albatross class. The team's gear and vehicles are in perfect condition. Six caches were provided…one near Freeport, another by Lake Jackson, another just south of Liberty, two more were close by Bay City and Wharton, respectively. The last cache has been flooded out and its contents destroyed.
MARS Team G-76: Bolthole location unknown, but somewhere in the Texas Panhandle. 18 members, with one V-150 with 20mm, one V-150 APC, one XR-311, and two Fusion motorcycles. Awoke recently and set about observing their area of responsibility, the Texas Panhandle. Unfortunately, they soon had a violent run-in with the Guards and were wiped out.
Unnamed MP bolthole: Inside the Refugio mine in the Chispa Mountains, 60 miles southwest of Alpine in West Texas.
Unnamed MP bolthole: Near the town of Athens west of Tyler.
Unnamed MP bolthole: Inside a tunnel in the Franklin Mountains north of El Paso.
Unnamed MP bolthole: Near the town of Calvert in Robertson County southeast of Waco.
Unnamed MP bolthole: Near the town of Fort Stockton in West Texas.

3) TEXAS, THE LONESTAR STATE

Situation pre-war: The state of Texas is larger that many independent nations. Within its bounds are many types of terrain and climate: desert, swamp, forest, farmland, prairie, pasture and mountain. About the only things it lacks are rain forests and ice fields. The people who live here are just as diverse and earn their living in just as many ways. Farming, ranching, sheep herding, forestry, mining, oil drilling, production and refining, light and heavy industry, commercial deep sea fishing, international import and export, aircraft production, business and finance, computer design and manufacture to name only a few. Texas has a rich history. Already a colony of the Spanish Empire in the 1500's, it is one of the oldest areas of western habitation in the country. With a large population of Native Americans to start with, the state eventually sheltered large numbers of people from every region of the planet. From its old adobe villages to the glittering towers of the cities, Texas is as modern and high-tech, or as sleepy and quaint, as anyone could wish.

Situation during the war: Texas was smashed up pretty badly during the war. All of her major cities were destroyed, there were no providential misses. All military bases, particularly those belonging to the Air Force, were destroyed. The short term effects were as bad as anywhere else--radiation, fallout, water and food shortages, homeless people and disease all swept through the state and 2/3 of the population perished.

Situation post war: In spite of the losses Texas survived. Most of the countryside remained intact, along with respectable industry, material and human resources. With substantial aid from the surviving military some of the state began the long climb back up to civilization. Conditions in the various geographical areas of the state vary widely, and will be covered in each subsection. Much of Texas thrived, and here true civilization grew again along with the hope in the future. Gradually communities of 5,000 souls formed. These eventually coalesced into county-sized units. Each was independent and weak. Trade, transportation and organization were minimal. Each area had all that was necessary to survive, but few areas trusted each other enough to merge. The glue that held them together, the whip that forced them to merge and the open arms that helped them survive the first dangerous decades was the US Army's 1st Cavalry Division.

The 1st Cavalry Division: The current Republic of Texas owes its existence solely to the presence of the 1st Cavalry Division. The politicians do not like to admit this. After the war, the entire state was in danger of destruction by plague, starvation, invasion, random pillaging and rapine. Here and there a small community pulled together and made it through the troubles, but in general, it was the soldiers of the 1st Cavalry that provided such order and security as existed. The sheer size of the state helped keep things sane. Most of Texas was sparsely populated, and the people left over where not in too bad a shape and were used to thinking themselves as "Texans"--independent, stiff necked, and proud. As soon as it was safe, they started rebuilding and preserving. But they failed. But in their failure they came closer to success than any other area of similar size. Texas came through the war as a recognizable product of its former self. The 1st Cav was active from the very start and had, by the new year, secured both Texas A&M University and the LBJ Space Center. Teams of soldiers were in the countryside helping the survivors even sooner.

The new Republic of Texas: About a decade after the war, it became apparent that the military was great at securing the borders, but it might not be the best institution for governing a state. To that end, the "Republic of Texas" was formed. Right from the start, the friction between the civilian politicians and the military was evident, a situation that has barely lessened in the last 140 years. The problem is one of perceived control. The military is clearly in command of the state, everyone knows it, but the politicians cannot accept this and do everything they can to undermine the military's power and boost their own. The irony is that the existence of the Republic depends solely on the military, without it being as strong as it is, the state would disintegrate and fall to the marauders.

4) THE REPUBLIC TODAY
Formed 51 years ago, the Republic at its height controlled all of the land north of the San Antonio River and south of the Red River. In the west the border roughly followed the line of old Texas Highway 83. The eastern border was much the same as the Louisiana border had been. During the last push by the survivalist some 24 years ago, the land north of the San Antonio River had been lost. The new southern border follows the course of the Guadalupe River.

The land and the people: Even with the loss of its territory in the last war, the Republic is still a big place, with a population of roughly five million. Still a "frontier society", farming and ranching are the main economic activities. Towns exist in profusion, but there are no cities as we know them. People are scattered pretty thinly. Logging, fishing, mining and industry are all parts of the economy. General technology is at a level of about 1900, but population density and food distribution preclude large population centers and production line assembly. Practically, transportation and communications exist at a level of about 1830. Most communities center on a town. Towns now regularly have stores, saloons, and restaurants. Printing has not been lost and most towns have a library, but books tend to be expensive.

Big government: The Republic is governed from the new capitol at Waco. Here the politicians do what they have done for 3,000 years, backbite, squabble, skim pork and generally loose perspective of the lives of the citizens they claim to represent. It is basically a scaled-down form of Federalism based on the old US government, modified to suit local conditions. There is a president, a senate, a judiciary and a Supreme Court. There are free elections for most public offices, though voting rates are abysmally low except in Waco. Local governments remain local problems, and Waco is leery of getting too involved in situations where they might loose face. They tax everyone and everything, though they have learned to leave the military alone. And yet, despite all this, the Republic works. Its citizens are generally happy and well-fed, certainly better than in most any other part of the nation. While the Republic government is not taken too seriously by the common man, the idea of the Republic and of the greater USA itself is sacred.

Higher learning: The level of technical knowledge is higher than average in the Republic. Texas A&M University in College Station still maintains knowledge that was common at the time of the war. The preservation of the university has enabled much to be maintained that would otherwise have been lost. Texas A&M also houses the military academy of the 1st Cavalry and provides several technical courses for the military. The most important contribution of the university has been in the training of teachers. Most of the schools in the Republic are staffed with former "Aggies".

Law and order: Towns have sheriffs, and each county usually has a Marshall, appointed by the government. Towns and communities, especially near the borders, often have militias. Membership in the militia is voluntary; equipment is not standardized and usually consists of whatever the members bring. The militia is usually led by the local sheriff. There is no government or military support for the militias, though Fort Hood will send advisors for training purposes if requested.

5) THE 1ST CAVALRY DIVISION
The new division, after 150 years of evolving missions and TOEs, is now primarily a horse cavalry unit. In total, the division has about 7,000 men, divided up into seven Regiments, each garrisoned in a different town. The 1st is at Fort Hood, the 2nd at Abilene, the 3rd at Austin, the 4th at Sherman, the 5th at College Station, the 6th at Longview, and the 7th at Galveston. Detached companies and platoon of the regiments can be found throughout each regiment's area of responsibility. Once very strong in armor, the division's assets are now reduced to just 16 M1A1 Abrams tanks and 17 M2 Bradley APCs. They are all worn out and patched together. None of the fancy optics and computers are working and all have been modified over the decades.

6) NORTHCENTRAL TEXAS
Outside of the cities and a few isolated oasis towns, the wide open plains of Northcentral Texas have always been a forbidding land of dust and heat. Think of a wasteland of beached hills and scorched scrub, with summer temperatures over 110 degrees and far more rattlesnakes than people. This condition existed far before the war, of course, but the horrible droughts, combined with the lack of commerce and security, have made it worse. The war forced most of the people living here out, moving them north and east to more fertile areas. Behind them they left vast deserts of parched and blistered earth and once rolling grasslands that fed a million head of longhorn cattle. Numerous abandoned towns dot this landscape, tumbled down buildings and rusted cars are everywhere. North of Dallas, along the more fertile tributaries of the Red River, are two prospering cities in Sherman and Wichita Falls.

The ruins of Dallas: Nuked extremely hard, Dallas is now just a radioactive ruin. Few scavengers still brave the dangerous rubble and mutant rats, and many of those don't come out alive.

Fort Worth: The western half of the metropolis, Fort Worth is surviving on a limited basis. The nukes aimed here struck slightly to the east around Arlington, preserving some of the far western suburbs. The main settlement is now on the western edge of Fort Worth, situated around Benbrook Lake. Currently, there are some 400 people here. They trade with the Republic of Texas and local communities.

Sherman: Home of the 4th Regiment of the 1st Cavalry Division, detailed to watch the Red River frontier. The cavalrymen have sentry posts between Sherman and Dallas to control travel into and out of the nuked metropolis. The four block posts are all located in north Dallas, one along I-35 about fifteen miles north of Dallas, and one each along Highways 289, 75 and 78.

Wichita Falls: Though nearby Sheppard AFB was nuked, the SLBM aimed here struck a Taco Bell and dug into the earth before exploding. The 2 megaton warhead fizzled and only exploded with about a half-kiloton strength. Wichita Falls is now a neat little city of 2,000 people led by forward-looking leaders who have reopened schools and generally produce enough food for an annual surplus. They also have a staffed and adequately equipped hospital, the former Wichita Falls State Hospital, now probably the best hospital in the state outside of the Republic.

The ruins of Abilene: Abilene was nuked hard during the war, and is now just mangled, dust-blown ruins. The 2nd Regiment of the 1st Cavalry Division is garrisoned just north of the ruins near the town of Hawley, detailed to watch the western frontier. They are in cantonment around the prime fishing grounds of Lake Phantom Hill.

ICBMs: Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene was the center of an Atlas F ICBM complex, with the silos located in the towns of Abilene, Albany, Clyde, Oplin, Lawn, Bradshaw, Winters, Shep, Nolan, and Anson. All the silos are empty; their missiles long ago deactivated and pulled out. These abandoned sites have made great places for marauders and survivalists to hold out over the years.

Comanches: Recently a war band of Comanches have entered the area and are raiding the small settlements southeast of Abilene. It is rare that Comanches are this aggressive in Texas, and the Republic government is worried. Several strange reports have come in from a few surviving witnesses. They speak of horsemen appearing as if from out of thin air, striking swiftly and then leaving just as quickly. The raids are not for loot, indeed, they seem to be solely for killing. The 2nd Regiment near Abilene is gearing up to pursue them.

7) NORTHEASTERN TEXAS

Tyler: A virtual metropolis by post-war standards, Tyler now has a population of nearly 4,000, many of whom are traders and merchants from all over the region. It serves now as a trading center for goods coming into the Republic from eastern lands destined for other parts of Texas. A few scouts of the Frozen Chosen from Arkansas have been seen here and reports of a “foreign invasion” of Louisiana are all the talk.

Longview: Now the well-fortified encampment of the 1st Cavalry Division's 6th Regiment, detailed to watch the eastern frontier. The reports of the Jamaicans in Louisiana have the regimental staff already preparing.

Marshall: After 150 years of slow recovery, there is a considerable population living in Marshall, especially in the city's western and southern suburbs where most of the trade markets are located. Former park areas have been cleared and are used for agriculture, and many of the larger surviving concrete buildings have been converted into small fortresses to act as citadels or storage lots. Today, there are over 3,000 people in the Marshall area, a surprisingly large number all things considered, and they live quite well. A nominal member of the Republic of Texas (receives special tariff rates, but no military protection), Marshall trades with areas as far afield as Arkansas and Oklahoma. They, also, have heard of the Frozen Chosen and have tried to send traders that way. So far they have not been able to establish any sort of trade agreement.

8) THE PANHANDLE (Thanks, Colin Castelli)

Before the war: Most of the Texas Panhandle is sparsely populated high plains. There aren’t too many trees to speak of; tumbleweeds and buffalo grass are the norm. The summers are hot and the winters cold. There isn’t much water available in the area either, the lake just outside Borger provides most of the drinking water and what doesn’t come from here is pumped out of the Ogala Aquifer. The people of this region make their money mostly through farming, ranching and working in the two refineries (Phillips Petroleum and Diamond Shamrock).

After the war: After the bombs fell and the people of the Panhandle woke up, they discovered some interesting things. First Amarillo didn’t exist anymore. The PanTex Nuclear Weapons Facility outside of the city was a major target. Cannon AFB in Clovis, New Mexico was likewise a ghost town. Other than that the area was largely untouched. After the initial lawlessness, the people settled down to live the best they could. After the first year most of the people who depend on medical supplies for their survival (epileptics, diabetics, drug addicts, etc.) had died and left a fairly healthy populace to carry on. There was plenty to eat in the area. Before the war 25% of the countries fed beef came from this area, it’s still there, just feeding a lot less people. There was and is enough corn, wheat, and other grains grown to feed the cattle and the people. All the survivors really had to do was plant some vegetables and wait for them to come up. The two Platoons of National Guard Infantry that were in the area continued to do what they could for the civilians and refugees never really were a problem. There weren’t many people to the west, north, or east and those to the south couldn’t cross the radioactive ”desert” from the Amarillo and Cannon AFB missile strikes.

Settling down: Things went very well for the first 2 or 3 years, the local police continued to do their job, the cattlemen and farmers continued to produce food, the refineries continued to produce fuel for everyone and life continued. Granted, the people didn’t have the luxuries they once enjoyed, but they were alive. An idyllic setting; good wholesome people taking care of each other and getting on with their lives the best they could. But, things began to change. The young white civilians started to blame the minority groups in the area for what had happened. The Mexican-Americans and Laotians who work the farms, ranches, and the refinery were targeted as being the problem. From there it spread to the small African-American population, they were to blame too. Soon these groups were being blamed for anything that happened. “Yer heffer died, musta ben a Mex what did it!” “Yer son’s sick, must be them dam nasty Chinks spreading disease!”

Powder keg: Things continued like this for several years. But, as the children of these hate-mongers grew they carried on the prejudice. After several generations everyone felt that the minorities were to blame for everything that had befallen them. Then the violence started, first isolated fights between different race groups, then more serious violence. Bodies began to appear in alleys and outside town. One night a bomb went off in the local tavern killing several whites and wounding several more. Now the Police and National Guard moved in to restore order. Martial Law was declared and the Police and Guardsmen took over the running of the area. By this time the Police were referred to as “The Man” and the National Guard troops simply as the “Guards”.

Rivals: Soon the towns became like small free states with The Man controlling everything that happened within their borders and the Guards controlling everything outside the borders, like trade and travel. The police did a fairly good job of running the towns. They basically enforce the same laws they did before the war and provide more protection to the people than before. The Guards, however, have become unbearable. They control all the farms and ranches with an iron hand, they take everything except what the farmer or rancher needs to survive. The Guard now protects the civilians from the Guard. If you don’t pay a fee for protection while traveling from town to town, you will be attacked. The ‘Guards’ will arrive just seconds too late to save your life or trade goods from the “raiders”. They have begun to demand more and more from the towns for their food also. Some of the smaller towns have surrendered control to the Guards because they couldn’t afford the cost of food and protection any longer. This is the situation as it stands now. All people living within the town borders are controlled by The Man and everyone outside is controlled by the Guards. The Guards control the food and transportation and The Man controls the manufacturing.

The area today: The terrain within and surrounding the Panhandle of Texas is still much as it was before the war. Rugged high plains with deep creek beds (mostly dry except when it rains) and low hills. There are no trees to speak of, the lack of water and presence of nearly constant wind preclude it. The predominant vegetation is Buffalo grass, tumbleweeds and sage. All of the towns are still connected by roads, but they are no longer paved, just packed dirt. They generally follow the course of the current highways. Natural wildlife has made a great comeback since the war. It includes Prong Horned antelope, prairie dogs, snakes, tarantulas, scorpions, buffalo, deer, coyotes, pheasant, and other wild animals. Life in the Panhandle has gone full cycle, gone are the recently constructed buildings and houses of the last 40 years or so prior to the war. They simply weren’t built strongly enough. Most of the towns have shrunk back in size to the original downtown areas built in the first half of the 20th Century. At the most there will be the buildings surrounding the town square and another row behind those, or two or three streets in those towns without squares. Although the refineries still produce some refined fuel, most of the vehicles have fallen on disrepair due to lack of spare parts. Horses and wagons have returned as a primary means of transportation throughout the panhandle. Refined fuel is still used for lighting (kerosene lamps), heating (fuel oil) and fuel for the few remaining vehicles (fuel oil). Most towns will still have one old automobile that works, sort of. It is normally used only in emergencies and then doesn’t move very fast or quietly. Normally the farms will still have one old John Deer or International Harvester Tractor still running. The economy has returned to a barter system, although real silver and gold are accepted most places. Most trade is between towns within and surrounding the Panhandle, traders from outside are rare (most fall prey to the Guards before reaching the towns).

The people: The entire population of the Panhandle has topped at about 5,000 people at this time. Lack of medicines and an increased infant mortality rate have served to bring the population down to this level. Those that live in the towns are well off as compared to their counterparts outside of the towns. In town the police keep the peace and generally let the people go about their business. Outside town the Guards rule with an iron hand, taking almost everything from the farmers and ranchers to trade with the towns for what they need. There has been very little fighting among the people since the Police and Guards took over running things. There is the occasional fight between individuals, sometimes resulting in death, but that is about it. The real threat is the Guards themselves. People within the towns will be receptive to strangers and eager for news of the outside world. They will readily trade with anyone and treat him or her fairly. They are simple good folk. The people who live outside town will be very wary of strangers, especially those with guns, because of the practices of the Guards. If approached by the team they will claim they have nothing to take, the crops aren’t in and the cows are too young still. They will talk little of the Guards out of fear. Four of the larger towns of note include the following.

Borger: Population is 200. The refinery still works, actually a small part of it still works, and Borger is still able to produce small quantities of low-grade kerosene on a continuing basis. The Chief of Police patrols on horseback and still has the ceremonial sidearm of his office, a Glock semi-automatic in 9mm. He has reverently maintained this sidearm and carries it everyday, but has no ammunition for it.

Dumas: A trading town with a population is 100. Dumas has become the crossroads of the western Panhandle, it is here that goods are brought to be sold to wandering traders. The Chief of Police patrols on horseback and carries a Remington 870 police shotgun, he normally has 10-20 rounds of reloaded ammunition for it and knows how to use it.

Dalhart: A small town with 75 people, known for having a number of small blacksmith shops. Most of what is made is sold to the farmers and ranchers. There are 10 blacksmiths in town and they can produce any simple metal item (nails, hinges, hooks, etc.). The Chief of Police patrols on horseback, but has a working pickup truck that is used in emergencies, it is powered by kerosene traded from Borger when travel is safe.

Stratford: A struggling town with a population of 75. Stratford was the first town taken over by the Guards and they built their base camp nearby. The people do nothing but work for the Guards, anything of use or value is taken to the Guard Base. There will always be five or so Guards in town.

The Guards: The Guards are the descendents of two platoons of the 49th Armored Division, Texas National Guard. Currently, there are 115 men in the Guards. Their base camp is situated on a small cliff side to the south of Stratford, and is heavily fortified and patrolled. Colonel Cole is the current Commander of the Guards. Promotion to Commander is through single combat resulting in the death of the loser. He has been the Commander for one year and has no intention of giving it up. Guards who even appear to think of challenging him are normally lost on supply patrols. He trusts no one except his personal bodyguards who are completely loyal to him. The Guards still boast two operational M1A1 Abrams tanks, along with nine M3 Bradley Cavalry Fighting Vehicles, a deuce-and-a-half truck and five jeeps. All these vehicles have been converted to run on alcohol and the base camp has several large stills. Personal weapons are a mix of ancient M4 carbines, large bore sporting rifles, and pump shotguns. Thanks to mangling the Mars team recently, they also have a large stash of MP weaponry and supplies, as well as a Fusion motorcycle. This group has no affiliation with the Republic of Texas further south, though both groups are aware of each other. There has been talk for years in the Guard camp about sneaking down and stealing spare parts for their Abrams and Bradleys, but so far they have not had the nerve.

The ruins of Amarillo: Amarillo doesn’t exist anymore, flattened into charred rubble by numerous nuclear hits.

”Tradertown”: South of Amarillo, the small town of Canyon hadn't been too badly damaged by the nukes. Various traders using the interstates and state highways through the area have set up a fortified community. “Tradertown” as it has become to be called, occupies several city blocks and is encircled by a makeshift wall of old cars, barbed-wire fences, and rubble scavenged from the ruins. Here, trade is conducted regularly during the day with regional farmers and ranchers and passing caravans. Relations with the Republic of Texas are cordial, but Amarillo is not on the regular trade routes. There are about 1,000 men, women and children living full-time in Tradetown. Armed with shotguns and the odd military rifle, the locals here often conduct raids into the Amarillo area to hunt mutant humans, which seem to be unusually abundant in the ruins. As the areas is so harsh and dangerous, neither the Guards or the Republic of Texas has anything to do with Tradertown.

The ruins of Amarillo AFB: The 1st Cavalry has recently has sent small technical teams to the ruins of Amarillo Air Force Base to salvage what they can find. The last group made the mistake of stealing supplies from a survivor camp at the edge of the base. The people went to Tradertown and now the leadership is thinking about posting guards at the air base. The Guards from Stratford have also heard about the Cavarlymen poking around the ruins and are most curious what they might have missed.

9) CENTRAL TEXAS

Waco: The current capitol of the Republic of Texas and the center of political intrigue and pork.

College Station: Home of the Republic of Texas' main center of learning, Texas A&M University, and the 1st Cavalry's military academy. It is also the home of the 5th Regiment.

Fort Hood Military Reservation: When the war began, Fort Hood was hit in the initial strikes. But Hood is a big place, the largest post in the USA. Not all the personnel were killed. In fact, enough of the base's infrastructure and staff remained intact to allow it to form the core of the post-war military in Texas. Now home base of the 1st Cavalry Division, the protectors of the Republic of Texas. The 1st Regiment is barracked here. Along with the military personnel, the base is now home to some 1,600 citizens supporting and feeding the base. The division's armor is kept here for emergencies.

The ruins of Austin: Nuked hard, little remains recognizable of the city. The southern edges of the ruins are now the garrison of the 3rd Regiment of the 1st Cavalry, forming the first line of defense against the Brotherhood to the south across the Guadalupe River.

San Marcos: On the front line of the Brotherhood, this town is home to a blocking unit of the 3rd Regiment. The bridges across the Guadalupe River have all been blown, but the danger of infiltration by swimming and boats keeps the garrison busy.

10) SOUTH TEXAS
South Texas did not share in the recovery of the state following the nuclear war. Few nuclear bombs hit this area, and the prevailing winds took most of the fallout away to the east. This meant that South Texas survived the war better than expected. It was a haven for survivalists since the 1950s, though it was in the 1970s that their numbers grew to such a scale that they were able to influence the events in the region following the nuclear war. At first small parties of survivalists started to raid towns for supplies, then took those towns over.

Taking over: Within ten years of the war, the lands south of Larado and east and north of the Rio Grande were held by assorted survivalist bands. Many of these groups styled themselves as "warrior brotherhoods". All observed a "shoot first and ask questions never" policy. Slavery became a common sight in these controlled areas, as a natural offshoot of the racist views of many of the survivalist bands. Hispanics were especially badly treated, though over time, all races were subject to slavery. It was inevitable that the survivalists starting fighting each other. Over the generations, the bands became clans, mostly blood-relations. Inter-clan warfare has been bloody and violent, and has served more than anything to keep them from really uniting to sweep the nation. The clans exist in a matrix of distrust and mutual hatred. They are decentralized and have no common goals or government. The clans only cooperated during raids.

Eyes north: All this internal strife has caused the survivalist clans to look north to more fertile lands. Over the last century, whenever the stars are in alignment, a number of clans will form a temporary alliance to drive north for some pillaging into the Republic of Texas' lands. These are usually small scale, and short lived, but a big raid 24 years ago drove the Republic back beyond the Guadalupe River. Currently, the clans are again planning to join up for another push at the Texans.

The fighting man: The average fighter in a clan is a vicious and cruel killer. Until recently, few had firearms, most fought with crudely made spears, long knives, and whatever else was at hand. They are a nasty, unwashed lot, looking like the savages of the early Middle Ages in Europe. The strength of the warriors lies in sheer numbers. Perhaps one million humans inhabit the lands of the Brotherhood. Of these, about 100,000 are warriors.

The Kamfyurer: This term applies to the leader of the combined clans when they are going on a large-scale raid north. The current Kamfyurer is named Jorj and he is unique amongst his type in that he has a firm grasp of the strategic as well as the tactically aspects of warfare. He has gathered a vast army of clan members and has his sights set on the total destruction of the Republic of Texas. This will probably happen soon.

Soviet weapons: The Brotherhood also has a large stockpile of advanced Soviet weaponry. These were the spoils of a battle between a force of Cuban and Soviet troops and Mexican soldiers on the coast of Mexico about 145 years ago. The stockpile has traded hands dozens of times since then, and currently is owned by the Brotherhood. It is these weapons that Kampfyurer Jorj hopes will turn the tide in his upcoming invasion of Texas. The weapons include 2,000 Soviet-made AKM assault rifles, thirteen operational T-72 tanks and fourteen BMP-1 APCs.

The growing horde: The army that Jorj is massing is very powerful. It comprises some 50,000 warriors, armed in the usual haphazard way. These are canon fodder troops, designed to break the defense lines of the Republic regardless of the losses. The follow-up force is 20,000 young warriors supported by slave porters. About 10% of these warriors are armed with the AKM assault rifles. They also have all the armored vehicles in the Brotherhood with them, forming an armored spearhead not seen for nearly a century. The Republic will be hard pressed to survive this coming war.

Victoria: The main staging area for the coming invasion and the headquarters of Kamfyurer Jorj. This town is dirty and frequently on fire, overfilled with warriors and hapless slaves. The coming war will pull most of these warriors out of the town, and the slaves hope that this might be their opportunity to escape. Down at the docks at Port Lavaca, are two old Cuban steamers, spoils from the same battle that provided all the Soviet weapons. These will be used to launch an amphibious assault on Galveston.

San Antonio: San Antonio was a military city, and as such was nuked very hard. Multiple warheads smashed the urban area, mostly targeted at military bases in the suburbs. Several thousand people remained in the area, and the Republic of Texas incorporated their survivor enclaves in their state. The Brotherhood overran the city ruins some 24 years ago, pushing the Republic of Texas out of the area. Most of the civilians and military personnel managed to escape north, but several hundred were captured. Maybe only a handful are still alive today, the rest having died as slaves. The clans are somewhat afraid of the vast, sprawling ruins and usually try to avoid the area completely. In the city ruins, there is a growing community of salvagers and gleaners existing in a pocket deep inside Brotherhood territory.

Laredo: Home of the "Raiders of Laredo" clan. This is the home clan of the current Kamfyurer Jorj.

Far South Texas: Drawing a line from Laredo to Corpus Christi, the heel of Texas is not well-suited for agriculture and for hundreds of miles there is nothing but rattlers and armadillos. Notable now only for small settlements along river bottoms and ribbons of cracked pavement stretching endlessly into the deserts.

The ruins of Corpus Christi: Nuked during the war, this once beautiful port city was reduced to a radioactive ruin. There are still a few burning oil wells here, probably never to be capped, that cast a black, stinky pall over the ruins when the wind blows just right. This near-constant smoke cloud often serves as a navigational aid for sailors in the Gulf of Mexico.

11) SOUTHEASTERN TEXAS

The ruins of Houston: Never very far above sea level, much of Houston became flooded by nearby Galveston Bay following the war. The water, the radiation, the rubble and the swamps make the area mostly impassible to this day.

Johnson Space Center: The war didn't destroy the center, but it did render it useless. Manned space flight was a thing of memory now. Soldiers of the 1st Cavalry arrived at the center just weeks after the war, with orders to keep it un-looted. The remaining staff helped and now the center is "mothballed" away, awaiting the day when space flight, manned or not, is possible again. A healthy population of scientists and laborers are here, working to save the structures. Security is provided by a rotating garrison from the 7th Regiment down in Galveston. To aid in the defense, they have armored and armed several earth movers found at the site. Military presence has brought out the civilians looking for protection from and now there is a sizeable number (2,000 plus) of women and children within the center complex.

Galveston/Texas City: Neither Texas City or Galveston was hit during the war, though economy of both was tied to Houston. The twin cities diminished after the war, but they did not die. This was one of the first areas annexed by the 1st Cavalry after the war. The industrial and refining centers of the two cities, along with the extensive offshore oil drilling facilities, were deemed too important to allow to fall into ruin. Nearly all the remaining oil refining and heavy industry in the Republic of Texas is centered here. Though most of the petroleum products that come from here are used by civilians for heating and lighting, the 1st Cavalry's entire fuel requirement is met by these wells. The "Twin Towns" are proud. Their inhabitants enjoy a relatively high standard of living. Electric lights in every home are common, and "First in the Republic!" is the local motto. The entire 7th Regiment of the 1st Cavalry currently garrisons the city and the vital oil wells.

Mystery: Sometime in the last few weeks, an abandoned warship washed up ashore on the coast southwest of Galveston. She is the 1,200 ton ironclad sail frigate Kingstown, part of Jamaica's latest program of shipbuilding (see Louisiana for a complete explanation). Based loosely on an 1850s British frigate design, she was laid down some ten years ago, and commissioned seven years ago. Several local fishermen know of it, but they are afraid of it and avoid going near it. The ship is empty of crew, and shows signs of severe storm damage, but otherwise intact. She was part of the escort screen for the Jamaican expedition to Louisiana and was caught alone in a sudden Gulf storm. Damaged and adrift, the crew abandoned ship, certain that she was going to sink. The crew got off a garbled SOS to the Expedition Command, but all three lifeboats were then lost to the storm, killing some 75 sailors. The ship did not sink, however, and drifted with the currents. There are considerable amounts of weapons and stores still aboard, as well as invaluable shipbuilding technology to be studied. Since the main Jamaican force believes the ship to be sunk, no one is looking for it. This ship represents a quantum leap in technology above what is available to the people of Texas.

Beaumont: Nuked, looted, burned, savaged, fought over and shelled numerous times, there is not much left standing in Beaumont. The port is totally wrecked, with hurricanes finishing off what man started. Starvation is rampant in the few survivors here and few people bother coming to the area.

12) WEST TEXAS
Following the nuclear war, sparsely populated West Texas, say everything north of the Big Bend in the Rio Grande and south of Odessa, fell out of step with the rest of the state. In time this land became home to a culture of nomadic hunter/herders of the old Native American pattern, peopled by Comanches, Navahos, Latinos and Anglos. The rule of thumb is that to survive in West Texas you need two of three things: brains, numbers, or big guns. Communities still exist in the area, though they rarely are larger than small hamlets. All the same, these villages are home to over half of the region’s population. These societies sustain themselves by either gathering or, more commonly, subsistence farming. There are also bandits and raider groups that live by praying on small communities; often long-range killers from the Brotherhood. The Rio Grande Valley on the border with Mexico south of Highway 90 is an empty quarter with nearly all the small towns being deserted, burnt and looted.

Midland: Home to a small petroleum operation run by a group of Oilers. They sell their oil to anyone with food and weapons to trade.

Big Springs: Once home to a struggling farming community. A rat-borne plague cropped up this summer, and there are now only five surviving people here.

San Angelo: This former small city of 80,000 people has seen some rough and tumble times. Nearby Goodfellow AFB was nuked, washing the city with a firestorm and fallout. Today, the urban core is a field of rubble and decaying houses, nearly completely abandoned to the dogs and the snakes. The only settlement is on the western outskirts and is home to just a few hundred people.

The Caverns of Sonora: These deep caves are inhabited by a Cannibal clan.

Fort Stockton: What little of this town that has survived the last 150 years, was burned by a slaver gang earlier this summer.

Odessa: A small farming town currently under the thumb of a slaver gang called the "Patriots", led by a scoundrel known as Jimmy Crack Corn. This was the group that torched Fort Stockton. They have about 100 combat effectives and numerous bikes and vehicles. They have with them 37 survivors from Fort Stockton, mostly all women.

The ruins of El Paso: Blasted by a 25 megaton nuclear weapon, El Paso has fought long and hard to regain some semblance of stability and peace over the last 150 years. This has largely been a failure and few normal humans can be found in the ruins.

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ARKANSAS

Always culturally and historically backwards, the war and chaos has only sent Arkansas further back in time. Ravaged by starvation and banditry for decades, the state is now the haven for the "Frozen Chosen", a well-organized group of awakened pre-war people and their recent followers. Conditions under thier rule are beginning to improve.

1) NUCLEAR TARGETS

Little Rock, SS-N-8
Pine Bluff Arsenal, Pine Bluff, SS-N-17
Blytheville AFB, SAC Base, Manila, SS-18M1b
Little Rock AFB, Titan II Base, 10 SS-18M2
Arkansas 1 nuclear reactor, Russellville, SS-17

Discretionary nuclear target:
Fort Chaffee, SS-N-17

2) MORROW PROJECT ASSETS
Unnamed MP bolthole: Somewhere between the abandoned towns of Hardy and Cherokee Village in Sharp County.
Unnamed MP bolthole: Inside a mine northwest of the small town of Cushman in Independence County.
Unnamed MP bolthole: Near the nuked ruins of Pine Bluff.

3) THE FROZEN CHOSEN
The area just south of the blasted ruins of Little Rock is home of the "Frozen Chosen", a fanatical group of religious power-seekers who spent their power and savings to freeze themselves before the war in order to awake in a "more tolerant" age.

Tubes: The cryotube technology, some 175 tubes and associated computer hardware, was bought under the table from a subcontractor for Morrow Industries. Bruce and his Council were aware of the missing cyrotubes, and their purpose, but were unable to do much about it without tipping their own hand. As well, there just wasn’t time. The Frozen Chosen completed their underground complex in late 1988, just about a year or so before the war. In fact, as the world died around them, just 120 of the 175 tubes were utilized in the end as many of the Chosen could not make it back to the base. These 120 people represented the most fanatical and devout of the Chosen, and were quick to set about their work upon awaking.

Set the timer: The Chosen leadership was unsure what would be the proper amount of time to remain frozen before rising. Some wanted to stay asleep for just 40 days and 40 nights, others for 7 years, and still others for 77 years, all very biblical numbers. In the end, they picked 77 years, sure that by then the world would have been “cleansed of sinners” and accept them gladly. They were wrong, of course, but were very glad that they didn’t pick 40 days or even 7 years.

Brave new world: In the chaos following the war, they found a very tolerant age in which they are expanding as quickly as they can make converts, voluntary or otherwise. They have some knowledge of freezing technology buried in the rituals of their religion. Their secret cryo-freezing bunker was located in the Jenkins Ferry Battlefield State Park. Once out and aware of the state of the world, they took over the nearby town of Sheridan and began to gather resources and followers. So far they have amassed a considerable fortune in guns and loot, and "converted" an amazing number of locals to their cause.

The Army of Redemption: Aware that many people will have to be converted by the sword as well as by the words of the Bible, they have raised a large army of "missionaries" from the masses, armed them reasonably well and placed Frozen Chosen members over them. These missionaries each carry small bibles, out of the stocks of literally thousands that the FC put into their bunker before the war. They also carry guns, ostensibly for "self-protection", but often used to convince people of the “error” of their ways.

Relations with neighbors: To be succinct, there are none. The Chosen ae in an isolated area, one not well traveled before or since their rising. They also have a strict and sensible policy of keeping to themselves until they have built up enough power and manpower to venture out with purpose. In a few years, perhaps as early as next year, they will be ready to start "going out into the world to spread the good news". They do have good intentions, and they want to rebuild the USA as a “light unto the nations”, but they may find themselves using their guns more than their bibles.

Behind the curtain: It should be noted that not everyone who has converted to their cause has done so out of religious fervor. With the Frozen Chosen enclave offering the best chance of security and steady meals in the region, many hundreds of people have flocked here to join up. Perhaps only ten to fifteen percent of the converts truly believe what they claim to. This will come into play when the army gets away from the home area and out into the field, where that thin veneer of religious conviction might fall away.

4) NORTHERN ARKANSAS
Most of northern Arkansas is a hillbilly paradise of moonshine stills and purdy women. Nuke hits polluted many of the fields and streams in the eastern part, forcing most people west into the rugged Ozark and Boston Mountains. There is no centralized government beyond a few scattered towns, and in the deep, thick woods the situation is very much like the early 1800s. Vigilante justice and family feuds are common and traveling through the area without some idea of just where one family's property ends and another begins might get you shot by either one.

Blytheville Air Force Base: Nuked during the war, the spillover laid waste to most of the surrounding county. Today, nothing remains worthy of the difficult trip through the overgrown forest to reach the remains of the base.

Mystic Caverns: This vast cave system, south of Harrison in the thick Ozark National Forest, is home to a growing “pseudo-society” of nearly 120 assorted people, all taking advantage of the cave's natural security and cold running water. Of note, three of the residents are former Frozen Chosen from the southern part of the state. These three are the survivors of ten who left the FC last year after a dispute over doctrine. One of the three was a low-level administrator who has intimate knowledge of the FC's operations and plans, though his information is a year out of date.

Jonesboro: Home of a violent local warlord who came to town from Kentucky last year with several dozen hired soldiers and common criminals. He is efficient, if crazy, and very dangerous, and has nothing but hatred for the people around him. The locals in the area have sent a small group south to ask for help from the Frozen Chosen, and they are about halfway there now.

Fort Smith: Now home to some 400 farmers and townspeople. They farm the well-watered land below Hollis Lake and the Lee River. The main settlement is in Van Buren with a smaller outpost around Kay Rodgers Park. The waterways are still a bit radioactive from the nukes on Fort Chaffee, though for some unexplained reason, these people show a resistance to the pollution. They often ascribe this ability to their “special sauce”.

Russellville: Home to about 650 people. Many of these are descendents of the staff of the Wal-Mart Home Office, who in the spring after the nuclear war caravanned down here to greener pastures. Amongst the people farming and hunting here are a few Waltons.

Batesville: A small town which boasts 200 assorted farmers and moonshiners. Batesville’s moonshine is some of the best in the state and has even found its way into the larders of the Frozen Chosen.

5) CENTRAL ARKANSAS
The heartland of the Frozen Chosen, home to perhaps 95% of the wealthy and population. Security is absolute and nearly every small settlement or family farm has clear signs of being in the Chosen. The more notable towns that they control are listed below, please note that as of now, their territory only extends less than 200 miles from their capitol, with actual control half that.

Sheridan: Located as it is at the intersection of seven roads, Sheridan was the logical choice for the first capitol. It was named "New Jerusalem" in a festive ceremony, but the locals have never really caught on to the name and you will hear "Sheridan" still almost as often. Sheridan is a religious bastion now, with nearly everyone spouting scripture and calling each other “brother”. Security is tight and sneaking into the city for crime is absolutely suicide. Nearly every open space for miles has been plowed and tilled, and some basic water service and electricity has been restored. Sheridan is home to the 500-man "Levi Brigade" (note that all the brigades are named after the sons of Jacob) charged with capitol security and enforcement of government and religious policies. The Brigade is armed with a variety of weapons, but is in need of more transport.

Fordyce: There are now 5,000 people in the Fordyce area, serving as the main southern entrance to the FC empire. The local Army garrison is the "Asher Brigade", currently the most battle-worth of all the brigades and probably the first to go out to "spread the message" this coming spring. The Brigade is a tight, compact unit, with some 350 men, a gun for every soldier and enough trucks to make them very mobile.

Redfield: Located on the Arkansas River between Pine Bluff and Little Rock, this town is the main river port for the FC. The 300 men of the "Naphtali Brigade" watch the river traffic closely.

Malvern: The population here numbers 1,400. The FC Army's "Dan Brigade" is in town, with 400 men armed with shotguns and assault rifles. Several towns just southwest of Malvern, such as Central and Social Hill, have been set up as "reeducation" camps for converts who have "lost their way".

Arkadelphia: Protected by earthworks and other fortifications, including minefields abreast I-30. A relatively quiet town of farms, fields, and horse-drawn plows that has a growing industry of ammunition reloading and gunsmithing. Home of the "Joseph Brigade", tasked with watching for bandits and funneling converts north to Sheridan. The Brigade has about 250 fighters of varying degrees of skill and fervor. About 50 maybe are hard-core zealots and the rest are just thugs with guns who will say anything to keep their leaders happy. Vehicles include a few jeeps, pickup trucks, autos and a few large trucks.

The ruins of Pine Bluff: These nuked ruins are generally avoided by the Frozen Chosen, though they do offer them a considerable amount of loot and salvage.

The ruins of Little Rock: Obliterated by numerous nuclear warheads, a vast overgrown rubble field is all that remains. Most people shun the ruins, as weird ghosts and shambling zombies have been reported in the maze of rubble. The IBCM complex to the east was heavily blasted, polluting a large triangle of once-productive farmland all the way to the Mississippi River.

6) SOUTHEASTERN ARKANSAS
This is a region of muddy flats, muddier rivers and cotton fields. The Arkansas and Mississippi Rivers have seen some massive flooding in the past century and many smaller communities along their banks have been completely washed away. The lure of the Frozen Chosen's empire to the west has pulled most of the survivors out of this area, leaving it even emptier. There are some traders from the Louisiana Parrish to the south and the Free State to the east, but they are few.

Crockets Bluff: An old riverboat steamboat on the White River now serves as the community center for this town of 160 people. Mutant catfish and even more mutated crawfish are common threats, legacies of the nukes on the Air Force Base upriver.

Stuttgart: Mostly destroyed by refugees from the cities, Stuttgart today supports just a small population of about 240 farmers and cattle herders. Life was hard here before the Frozen Chosen began to offer assistance, luring many of the younger men and women to the west. Now, Stuttgart is slowly gaining population as the last generation has decided that maybe the grass is not greener with the Chosen.

7) SOUTHWESTERN ARKANSAS
Another region of varied condition, with some towns just empty houses and overgrown fields and others busy with life. The Frozen Chosen have recruited heavily in this area and FC patrols are a frequent sight. The fertile valley of the Red River still holds a number of settlements, people content enough to stay where they are. In these areas, there are higher than average numbers of Frozen Chosen missionaries, attempting to sway these people.

Murfreesboro: Home of the Crater of Diamonds State Park, now controlled by a local strongman. He is currently a sort of middle man for the Frozen Chosen, who turn a blind eye to his brutal slavery of his workers in exchange for a share of the diamonds. Some 200 slaves work the diamond mines to the point of death under highly dangerous conditions. The diamonds are mostly hoarded by the FC leadership as they have little economic value anymore.

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LOUISIANA

Louisiana is still a land ravaged by the war. A relatively small population lives mostly from subsistence farming and hunting in the interior and by fishing along the coast. A few small industries exist only for the local markets, and then only make a bare handful of products. Local governments vary widely, but none are more than regional. Most communities govern and police themselves, and the immediate trade routes in and out. Out in the hinterlands, it is traveler beware. Many local rulers have had to use overly forceful means to maintain authority over the years, a sign of the times to be sure. The overall level seems to be around the early 1800s, with no electricity or sophisticated weaponry. Parts of southern Louisiana are now occupied by the Jamaicans. The presence of an outside force in the Jamaicans promised to guaranteed a small flow of goods and foodstuffs.

1) NUCLEAR TARGETS

New Orleans, SS-19
Baton Rouge, SS-18M1b
Shreveport, SS-N-17
Louisiana Army Ammunition Depot, Doyline, SS-N-17

Discretionary nuclear targets:
Barksdale AFB, SS-N-8
Fort Polk, SS-N-17

2) MORROW PROJECT ASSETS
Later…

3) THE JAMAICANS
The large island of survived the war by the skin of its teeth. Hit by two tactical nuclear weapons and washed with fallout from across the Gulf, about half of Jamaica’s population eventually died. The tourists fled and left the natives to handle rebuilding on their own. It took nearly 100 years for Jamaica to crawl back up to where they could begin to look across the sea. Cuba was colonized first, the backwards fishermen of that ravaged island gladly accepting help from Jamaica.

To America: They had been hearing rumors from a group of sailors shipwrecked on Cuba that America had recovered nicely. They also knew of the Project (how?), and were under the assumption that it had already succeeded in rebuilding the nation. Therefore they organized an expedition loaded down with many diplomatic treaties and gifts. These same sailors had told them that Louisiana was the new capitol of USA. The Jamaicans were sadly disappointed when they arrived there. After dropping off an outpost in the Florida Keys (see that state), they settled in Iberia, near the new mouth of the Mississippi River. Some recon trips to Baton Rouge and New Orleans confirmed that there was nothing close to an organized government in the southern half of the state. They were told of a ultra-conservative religious movement in the northern third of the state, but have not ventured up there to contact them yet. Some scanty rumors of the 1st Cavalry and Frozen Chosen filtered in from traders, offering more clues to the state of the country. They have recently sent an expedition to Fort Polk recently, hoping that some semblance of the US military might have survived there. No luck.

What to do?: With all this disappointment, there is much grumbling and dissention in the ranks; they were not expecting a swampy wasteland of Cajuns and mutant gators afterall. The current debate is whether or not to colonize. Several of the expedition's more aggressive diplomats are all for it, but the military leaders are more cautious, understanding the risks. They will probably pull out next summer and either go back to Cuba or try somewhere else along the coast. If there is to be a major colonizing effort, it will come later, not sooner.

4) THE NEW CHURCH OF CHRIST
In the northern third of the state there is a pocket of civilization held together by a strict and overbearing religious hierarchy. The New Church is the remnants of the old Catholic Church, which used to hold incredible power in Louisiana before the war. While now confined mostly to the Tensas Basin and the Ouachita River valley, the Church has managed to hold together the surviving population long enough for standards of living to rise and populations to increase. The Church is run by a governing body of bishops and administrators, which issues edits and proclamations on a regular basis.

Relations with neighbors: The Church is on cordial relations with the Frozen Chosen to the north in Arkansas, mainly due to shared religious values. They have trade agreements with many of the traders on the Mississippi River, including the KFS. The Jamaicans have yet to make official contact with the Church, but both sides are aware of the other. The Church is a bit worried about these newcomers.

Tithes: As has been the case for two millennia, the Church gets its money from tithes. In these times, most of these tithes are levied against landowners and merchants, and are required regardless of bad crops or hard times. This has caused no end to grumbling and strife amongst the growing merchant class, who feel that the Church is fleecing them. Several opposing factions have developed over the years, taking sides in this contentious issue.

The “Poormen of God”: These mostly poor tenant farmers and harvesters are opposed to the current tithe system as the final cost always ends up filtering down to them. When tithes are hard to make, the landowners often take the property and wealthy of their tenants and workers to pay the Church. So far the Thumpers are unorganized, which is good because a general uprising of the lower classes would certainly destroy the fabric of society here.

The “Thumpers”: So named from the old term “Bible Thumpers”, these religious people, mostly those associated with the Church in some way, stand behind the tithe system. They believe that supporting the Church financially is biblical and to reduce the tithe at any time for any reason is tantamount to rejecting God.

Playing both sides: The Church leadership has never been willing to totally come down on one side of the issue or the other. They are equal parts afraid of a rebellion in the workers and loosing the support of the wealthy landowners and merchants. This lack of firm policy has not gone unnoticed. The current Cardinal of the Church is leaning more towards the “Thumpers”, and might just make that Church policy soon. Who can guess what social upheaval this might cause.

5) NORTHERN LOUISIANA, THE “LOUISIANA PARRISH”
This area is a mix of large farms and scattered settlements, all residing in the Louisiana Parrish of the Church. To be fair, this is the only Parrish in the Church, though they have big plans for the future. The economy is feudal, with most of the wealth held by a small percentage of the population. In all, perhaps 25,000 people live in the Parrish, which stretches west to the Red River, east to the Mississippi River, north to roughly the old Arkansas border, and south into the fetid swamps along the upper bayous.

Monroe: The largest town in the Parrish, home to some 5,000 people of all economic classes. Monroe is also the seat of Church power and where the Cardinal and his council resides.

Cardinal Joshua: The current Cardinal of Louisiana Parrish, in office for the last 36 years, he might be the closest thing to a Pope in America today. He is a tall man with dark black hair despite his 60 years, known for long and vigorous horse rides to visit villages and churches in the Parrish. These visits are often unannounced and swift. While privately supporting the tithe system, he is aware that the “huddled masses” are ripe for rebellion. He has his staff of experts looking into ways to “reinterpret” the bible to ease some of the pressure.

Winnsboro: A regional center for the Church and the second largest town in the Parrish. Winnsboro is a growing farming and trade town of nearly 2,800 people.

Bishop Mark: The current bishop in Winnsboro, only in office for the last six months. Mark has not yet gained the full trust and support of the powerful merchants in the Winnsboro area, and with his staunch support of the tithe, he might not ever.

Obie Jackson and Douglas Johnstone: Two of the largest landowners in the Tensas Basin and well-known supporters of reducing the tithe requirement, having spoken out frequently of the need for a change in the Church policy. They might be the two best candidates to lead an uprising against Church rule if it comes to that.

The ruins of Shreveport: This large city was blasted out of existence during the war. 90% of the inhabitants were killed and most every building in the city was vaporized or burnt thoroughly by the firestorms. Today, the hulking ruins of Shreveport are home to some 100 salvagers, most in the far southern outskirts. A small Biker gang is based out of the nearby suburb of Keithville and are the main threat to the continued survival of the community. The Bikers are well-armed with some rifles and their bikes are in good shape for their age. This area is outside of the influence of the Church, though the occasional missionary can be found.

6) CENTRAL LOUISIANA
This area is mostly devoid of settlements of any size. The rivers banks often hide small villages, but they are more of the single extended family variety. Many of them are members of the "White Alligator Cult", an ancient voodoo cult brought into New Orleans in the last decade by refugees from Alabama. The Church sends missionaries into this area every now and then, but quite a few never return.

The ruins of Alexandria: Just a set of crumbling ruins today, which for the most part is uninhabited. It has been picked clean by scavengers, but the occasional valuable item can be found.

England Air Force Base: Abandoned soon after the war, this airbase was taken over by refugees after a few years. Now home to 200 assorted farmers and hunters, many of whom live in the once-modern barracks which formerly housed the pilots and flight crews. Rubble from destroyed buildings has been piled up over the years to make a fortified wall around the control tower building, which is used as a grain silo and citadel.

Fort Polk Military Reservation: Nuked during the war, this sprawling Army base was abandoned by the remaining military staff within a few years. It pretty much has sat empty until recently, when an expedition of Jamaican troops from Morgan City came to visit. They were hoping that Fort Polk was still an active military base, they were sadly mistaken. There was some talk of trying to reoccupy the post, but its relative isolation, lack of infrastructure and the four glowing nuclear craters nixed that idea. The rumored massive underground facilities for storage of military and other supplies beneath this fort have never been located and it is apparent that the Jamaicans have no idea that they even might exist. After some poking around looking for surface artifacts, the Jamaicans are preparing to head north to Monroe to meet with the Church leaders there.

7) SOUTHERN LOUISIANA
Much of the southern third of the state has regressed into a backwater of isolated swamp communities with amazing fauna and flora. Mutant gators and huge eye-pecking cranes are common sights, as are mosquitoes and black flies of monstrous sizes. The Jamaicans have recently come to the area, though not to conqueror.

The River: Following the nuclear war, the ORFCS (Old River Flood Control System), the complex system of levees, dams and controlled flood plains that kept the Mississippi River contained in its channel, broke down. Over the generations, the river slowly changed course, so much so that its mouth is now at Morgan City. The former mouth in the Louisiana Delta is now just a vast and constantly shifting marshy mud-plain of abandoned towns and swarming mosquitoes. Radiation has made the sawgrass and cattails grow at accelerated rates over the last 150 years and in some areas the boglands have swelled so much as to dry up much of the standing water. In a few more generations there might not be any open water for miles in some places. As the river has dried up, the cities that depended on it, such as Baton Rouge and New Orleans, were slowly abandoned by their few remaining citizens.

The ruins of Baton Rouge: Hit by a biowar strike during the war, the state capital of Baton Rouge was further hit hard by natural epidemics and the changing river bed, and is now largely depopulated. This is a great place to catch some nasty disease.

The ruins of New Orleans: Blasted by a nuclear strike, New Orleans died a flaming death. As the Mississippi River slowly changed its course, any chance that this city might be able to recover was lost. The Gulf of Mexico has slowly moved in to fill the empty river bed, causing widespread flooding and destruction. Most of the city was built on mud flats and landfills, and these have been eaten away, taking whole city blocks with them into the muddy water. With all this fetid water came disease and pestilence, even small pox, further depopulating the region. Today there are less than 100, maybe just a few dozen, people still left in the half-sunken city.

Iberia: Formerly New Iberia, a major (for the times) port and trading center on the west bank of the new, much wider mouth of the Mississippi River. It is also home of the main Jamaican landing force. There are some 350 Jamaicans here, living both in the town and aboard their ships. The local populace is flocking here to trade and take advantage of these sailors with money. They also pay the townspeople to work the docks, helping out with the ships and the camp that has been set up north of town to house the Jamaican ambassadors. The expedition is currently searching for the crew of a lost ship, though hope is growing dim. The SOS they received has led them to believe that the ship has sunk. In fact, it has washed up ashore in Texas (see Southeast Texas).

Scott’s Island: As the river flooded over the plain, a few of the higher (for the area) spots have remained above water. Formerly small hills and rises, these have now become islands in the mouth of the river, slowly being eroded away by the flow of water. One of the largest is known to the locals as “Scott’s Island”, a ten-acre piece of hilly land formerly east of Franklin. Its three dozen residents are poor, but accustomed to surviving on their own. Traders from Iberia occasionally make the journey over here, as the islanders are known for producing beautiful crushed shell pottery. Government, such as it is, consists of a council of five men chosen by the residents. Amongst the residents is also a man named Winslow Montgomery, a missionary from the Church at Monroe. This slight, 23-year old man traveled down the Mississippi River last spring looking for a place to preach and teach. Landing on Scott’s Island, he decided to set up shop here. However, as the months have gone on, he has lost his will to preach and has instead taken up with a young local girl and spends most of his free time fishing and diving. He has a lot of knowledge about the Church and would be helpful to anyone curious about areas upriver.

Lafayette: This city, once a large caravan trading stop at the end of a route into East Texas, is currently under the thumb of a yellow fever epidemic. Sanitation is the main problem here, with disease killing dozens a week and all the out-of-state traders fleeing. The dead have included three Jamaican soldiers from a recon mission, and the city has been declared off-limits by the Expedition Command at Iberia.

Black Hawk: This Mississippi River town between Baton Rouge and Natchez is home to a group of pirates living in the remnants of a small marina. This far upriver, the river still follows its pre-war course, though it does flood heavily at times. The pirates have been plundering villages along the waterway for some time, even striking barge traffic in the Louisiana Parrish in daring night-time raids. They have three large powered boats, running on alcohol fuel, and have shown over thirty well-armed individuals. There are questions, however, about where the pirates are getting their seemingly ample ammunition supply.

Port Sulphur: Just west of New Orleans, in the dried up former river delta, is an old petroleum plant near the swamped town of Port Sulphur. Sitting on a small hill, the plant has mostly stayed out of the rising waters. While the installation has been hammered by the weather and the grounds are a haphazard mess, there does look to be some reasonable chances for reopening it as the pumps themselves are intact.

"Site-F": There is a Snakeeater underground base named "Site-F" located north of Lake Charles, tasked to watch Project assets in East Texas and to assist recover efforts at Fort Polk. Unfortunately, the base was undergoing a major overhaul when the war happened and was not occupied. There are no weapons or vehicles here, but the fusion power plant is still salvageable. Being up in the foothills, it has not been flooded out and is still accessible.