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
Special Operations MARS Team TX-M-12:
Bolthole located south of Comanche. 10 members with two
ALSVs and one Mobile Command Center.
General Purpose MARS Team TX-M-22:
Bolthole located somewhere in Texas.
Mobile Medical Science Team TX-S-32M:
Bolthole located somewhere in Texas.
Meteorological Team TX-S-42W:
Bolthole located somewhere in Texas.
Agriculture Team TX-S-52:
Bolthole located somewhere in Texas.
Command Team TX-C-62: Bolthole
located somewhere in Texas.
Recon Engineering Team TX-R-72:
Bolthole located somewhere in Texas.
Recon Construction Team TX-R-82:
Bolthole located somewhere in Texas.
Recon Electronics Reclamation and Support
Team TX-R-92: Bolthole located somewhere in Texas.
General Purpose Recon Team (Light)
TX-R-102: Bolthole located somewhere in Texas.
General Purpose Recon Team (Light)
TX-R-112: Bolthole located somewhere in Texas.
Logistics Team TX-L-122:
Bolthole located somewhere in Texas.
Logistics (Mechanical Support) Team
TX-L-132: Bolthole located somewhere in Texas.
JAG and Diplomatic Contact Team TX-J-142:
Bolthole located somewhere in Texas.
Heavy MARS Team TX-M-152:
Bolthole located somewhere in Texas.
Heavy MARS Team TX-M-162:
Bolthole located somewhere in Texas.
Communications Science Team TX-S-172:
Bolthole located somewhere in Texas.
General Science Team TX-S-182:
Bolthole located somewhere in Texas.
General Science Team TX-S-192:
Bolthole located somewhere in Texas.
Long Range Recon Team TX-R-202:
Bolthole located somewhere in Texas.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Site-K: Located within the Red River Ammunition Depot at New Boston, this full-size Snake-eater base (24 Green Berets and 12 support staff) has underground access tunnels to several hardened bunkers throughout the depot. The personnel are still sleeping.
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.
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.
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.
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 abandoned and reoccupied 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. Interestingly, the humble city of Beaumont was actually one of the top five tactical targets of the entire country, owing to the fact that more than 30% of the US petroleum production in 1989 channeled through the largest collection of oil refineries in the US there, compressed into an area of just a few square miles. One single good nuclear hit in the southeast Texas area would instantly cripple the US energy and oil production, and the Russians knew it. As it was, of course, the other 70% of the oil production capacity was taken care of by hundreds of other nukes, so the Beaumont strike was just another nail in the coffin. Today, sludgy crude oil still seeps through cracks in the rubble, occasionally burning off, making acrid smoke clouds to obscure the Texas sun.
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.
Balthamora: This small rural township suffered like everyone else after the War, but was in a unique position, being next to a spring-fed reservoir and having a good supply of clean water. Always a farming community, the town continued on in that fashion but suffered from raiders and banditry. Being too far from the 1st Cav's area of patrol, they seemed doomed to fail. Then one day, about 90 years ago, a group of clean cut young men claiming to be a team of people working for a "Morrow Group" entered town and offered to help. They had just destroyed a group of Mexican Raiders 20 miles to the south and had a tool that might be of some help. They trained the town militia on how to use and maintain the tool, and then moved on, saying they would check in on them from time to time. Although they never returned, the "tool" continues to stand vigil over the town. The "tool" is a Russian-made Rapira-3 125mm anti-tank gun, very probably the last operable one left in North America. It is permanently affixed to an ingeniously-designed wooden platform mounted atop the town's only five-story building. The platform has a 360 degree field of fire, utilizing a block and tackle system, and recoil dampening by way of a sandbag support. There are only 33 HE rounds remaining for the cannon, but it has been more than 20 years since it has been needed. A few rusting, burnt-out wrecks on the edge of town were left as a warning to all of the price of banditry.
People who have contributed to this entry:
John Raner
Colin Castelli
Karl Zohler
Don Harden
Kurt Feltenberger
Vince Tognarelli