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

Regional Supply Base Alpha: 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.
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.

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.

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.

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.

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-in radio system. They also have an old, but well-maintained AN/PRC 70 backpack communicator. They first went to Marquette to talk to the locals, and check out the university. Their hope was to stock up on food, fuel, ammunition, and to find actual "law books", in the hopes that they will be able to learn more pre-ruin law so they can properly "uphold" the law. Learning about the Cons, the Badges decided to set up shop in the area.

The Station: The ruined town of McLeods Corner on highway 28 proved to be the perfect location. The majority of the buildings had all but collapsed over the years. However, enough of an old truck stop survived that with a little effort on the Badges part, it was just what the doctor ordered. Several weeks and several trips to Marquette later, they completed the repairs and opened the first highway patrol station in the Upper Peninsula in 150 fifty years.

Protection for hire: The have been traveling to all the local communities and farms to talk to the people, and set up a "payment" system for the protection they can offer. What they ask for isn't much, just fresh vegetables, livestock, and raw materials (such as hides, metals, manufactured goods, and milled wood). The raw materials they will use for upkeep of the station, and the manufactured goods and livestock as trade material so they can purchase both alcohol and fuel for their interceptors. Nearly everyone so far has agreed to pay the relatively small fee. But, of course, there were a few who figured that they wouldn't need to, they have handled the Cons on their own for generations, after all. The Badges didn't hassle them. Instead, they simply say that if the Cons ever attack you, don't call on us.

6) THE SHIPMEN ON LAKE MICHIGAN

Remnants of the Great Lakes shipping industry which survived the war and its aftermath. See Wisconsin for a complete description of these lakefaring peoples and their bases on the western shore of the lake. In Michigan, there are numerous Shipmen bases. The two largest are in Sault Sainte Marie and Detroit, but there are numerous smaller bases serving all four lakes that touch Michigan's coastline.

Manistee: A large Shipmen enclave serving Lake Michigan. There are about 500 people living in the immediate area. The militia is armed with hunting rifles and shotguns mainly, though most hunting is done with bows and arrows. A windmill is set up to supply very limited electrical power and to provide running water from pumps. This windmill was salvaged in parts by a Shipman crew from a museum exhibit on alternative energy in the ruins of Milwaukee. They have constructed a coal-fired tugboat to help with the larger cargo ships coming into the bay. The design was based on an old tugboat from WWII that was used in the area for ferry work for over a century after the nuclear war. A recent fire ravaged the northern quarter of the town, killing ten people. There is currently some debate in the Manistee community about moving the entire enclave to Charlevoix or across to Wisconsin.

Charlevoix: One of the smaller Shipman enclaves, mostly serving as a place to ride out storms and store and smoke fish caught on the lake. The canal to Lake Charlevoix is still open and allows for a placid anchorage. Perhaps 200 people live around the lake, divided into small farming groups from East Jordan to Boyne City to Charlevoix. They survive mostly by hunting and fishing, though they have a herd of livestock and a few hogs.

Beaver Island: Offshore of the nuked ruins of Petoskey, Beaver Island and the small town of Saint James are occupied by a small Shipman settlement of 60 people.

The lost Harriers: When the final war broke out, a squadron of AV-8B Harrier II jets based in Grand Rapids were flying maneuvers. When the balloon went up, the military base there was erased from existence. When Grand Rapids absorbed a load of nuclear warheads, the Harrier pilots discovered they had no where to go. Due to the recently upgraded systems aboard, the Harriers survived the initial EM pulse which crippled most other electrical systems. The pilots, knowing that someday the jets may be needed, decided to fly them to a remote location, far off any beaten track to hide them. An old Park Ranger fire fighting camp in the Manistee National Forest proved to be just what they were looking for. The camp had several large hangers, maintenance sheds, and a long runway for water tankers (even if the Harriers wouldn't need that). Setting down, the pilots managed to open the hanger doors and taxi the Harriers inside. They spent several days removing the weapon pods and shutting down the aircraft's systems. Satisfied that they completed their tasks, they covered the jets in camouflage netting, to protect them from casual observation.

Keeping the secret: Having completed their task, the pilots left the camp and headed towards the town of Manistee. Here, they got rid of their gear, donned civilian clothing and blended in with the other survivors. The next few years were a terrifying fight for survival. Out of the six pilots, when the nuclear winter finally ended, only two managed to survive. Both took wives and did their best to carve out a meager existence in the harsh new world. They also vowed to keep the existence of the Harriers a secret, but they would pass down the location of the jets to their children. So, as the years past, father would take the eldest child and they would make the long trek to the Ranger camp where the Harriers were hidden away. This practice has continued for 150 years. Over this time, the true meaning of the Harriers has been lost in the mists of time, but the descendants continue the tradition. Manistee has long been a Shipman enclave and several of the descendants of the pilots have traveled the Great Lakes, occasionally letting slip the treasure out in the woods.

The jets today: 150 years have not been kind to the six Harriers. The building they were stored in collapsed partially, burying three of the Harriers in rubble and exposing the others to the elements. Without the know-how, and the spare parts to repair the jets, they will be all but useless. After 150 years, the Harriers' fuel tanks are bone dry. The weapons themselves were stored in a different building, and they survived the years mostly intact. Unfortunately, party of Scraggers is now in the area of the Ranger camp, having moved into the region last year. The next father-son trip to the jets might end in a fight.

7) ISLE ROYALE

The big secret: In the summer of 1984, Isle Royale was leased from the state of Michigan by Morrow Industries. It was leased under the pretense that they were going to build a small fishing, boating and tourist resort. The Michigan government agreed and the deal was signed by both parties. As the town was built, the Project also constructed a large supply depot, and a small base to be used by Project personnel. The construction was done entirely by Morrow Industry personnel. When the resort reopened in 1988, it was staffed exclusively by Morrow personnel.

The war: In 1989, when the war finally broke out, the Morrow staff disappeared into their various blotholes hidden over the island and went into cryo-sleep, to be awakened in a few months time to begin helping the survivors. The Project personnel reasoned that the vacationers on the island had enough supplies and intelligence to survive until they revived.

Caine Jacobs: At the time of the war, one of the vacationers was a man named Caine Jacobs, a former Marine turned computer programmer. Suspicious at the disappearance of the resort staff, he began to organize the other vacationers and prepare them for the long hard years they all were about to face. He had them thoroughly search the resort and the island itself, and lucked upon the entrance to the supply depot. With his expertise in computers, it wasn't long before Caine gained entrance to the facilities. Much to his and his peoples' amazement, they discovered a huge storehouse of weapons, ammunition, equipment, food, medical supplies, construction material, vehicles boats and much more.

Taking charge: Arming his followers, Caine gathered anyone who had previous military training, and began to train everyone in the art of warfare and survival. The nuclear autumn was difficult, but not as much as in most areas. Only about 30% of the survivors died during these years, thanks to the vast supply of food and medical equipment. Due to fear of plagues unleashed by the enemy, no other survivors from the mainland were allowed anywhere near the island. The patrol boats made short work of anyone who tried. This practice lasted for several years after the nuclear winter ended, just to be sure.

To sleep: Caine and his followers also found a large number of unoccupied cryo tubes, including the manuals on how to run them. He decided that he and his most trusted lieutenants would sleep for decades at a time, revive, and train a new generation, and slowly begin to build an empire out of the ashes of nuclear holocaust. The main problem with his plan was manpower. He would have to wait until the island's population increased sufficiently enough to begin spreading out. Before entering cryo sleep for the first time, Caine instructed his people to send out patrols and begin salvaging what ever they could from the ruins. He also instructed them to find strong, healthy children and bring them back to increase the island's population. Finally, he told them to do what ever was necessary to ensure the community's survival.

Waiting: In his absence, a large portion of the island itself has been converted into farmland, where the islanders grown grain, corn and other vegetables. Several small ranches have also been set up to raise all manner of livestock. All outlying farms are equipped with diesel generators (converted to run on alcohol), and this also includes a network of defensive guard towers. The town itself is powered by the small fusion plant located below the supply depot. The town's economy is supported by the ranches, fishing, and manufactured goods which they trade with shore based communities for raw materials and pre-war goods mined from the ruins which dot the shoreline. They have little contact with the Lakers, and they prefer it that way, fearing an attack from the water by these people above all else. They have spread rumors about evil doings on their island, assuring that the Lakers will shy away.

Today: 150 years later, Caine's island community has grown to nearly 3,000 souls. Awaking several months ago, he has decided that it is time to begin his conquest of the Great Lakes. He is currently making plans to capture the farms and tiny fishing villages that have sprung up around the shores nearest Isle Royale. After that, he plans on moving further inland. Clearly, this will put him in conflict with the Lakers and the Shipman, but with all his modern firepower, Caine will probably win.

8) THE SHIPMEN ON LAKE HURON

Alpena: Located inside the sheltered Thunder Bay, Alpena is now home to about 250 people, mostly dependents of the sailors and farmers. There is a permanent force of armed fishing boats and launches anchored in Thunder Bay.

9) THE SHIPMEN ON LAKE SUPERIOR

These Shipman are called "Lakers", a name distinctive to Lake Superior and a point of pride for them. The Lakers range all over Lake Superior and know all of the coastal population centers. They usually operate wooden sailing vessels, but they do have some huge old steel ships that they normally try to keep away from the eyes of the towns. They have some muzzle-loading, black powder cannons on their boats, many produced in Sault Sainte Marie. They avoid Isle Royale religiously, sure that the island is haunted and the home of devils and demons.

10) SAULT SAINTE MARIE

A major Shipman base serving Lake Huron and Lake Superior. The Soo Locks have been irreparably damaged for over a century, meaning that nothing larger than a canoe can cross between the lakes. This has meant that Sault has become a drop-off/pick-up center for goods to be moved between the two lakes. The citizens are extremely loyal to the Shipmen, as they provide their livelihood, and in turn the Shipmen have made this town one of the most secure in the region.

The people: There are now some 3,500 people living in the Sault area, which includes the former Canadian town of the same name, as well as a scattering of farming hamlets in Chippewa, Luce, and Mackinaw Counties. These farms feed the citizens and are protected by the militia.

Industry: The Sault is more than just a trade center. It also boasts a major shipyard, where the Shipmen can have their vessels repaired and modified. They specialize in building wood-burning steam engines, which are highly sought after across the region. They also manufacture black powder cannons and shot, both increasingly becoming common on Shipmen vessels. The International Bridge, still standing after all these years, sees considerable use, and regular maintenance has always been a priority.

Shipmen Militia: The Shipmen provide the weapons and funding for the town's militia, ensuring that it is well-armed and trained. It is probably one of the best militias in the region, boasting 350 full-time soldiers armed with a wide variety of arms including shotguns and old military rifles, as well as melee weapons. For artillery, the militia has homemade mortars and black powder cannons. The militia also operates four inshore patrol boats, two on each lake, though they are often less armed than many of the Shipmen tradeships that ply the area.

People who have contributed to this entry:
John Raner
Chris Van Deelen
Thomas Kozak
Michael Chestnutt
James Barnwell