SD.net Fallout (RAR!)

[Zor]

Not actually based on the video game series, but on a similar concept.

Here every established SD.net Member have been sent into the year 2100, but it's not cheery by any means. Around 2030 there was a Nuclear War and Civilization as we new it ended. Within 10 years, Earth's population was reduced to about 300 million and society degenerated to a less civilized level (more on this below)

Now, here SD.net's population has a special role. Across the Developed world, people saw this comming and developed underground fallout bunkers basically like the Vaults from the series thats the namesake of this thread. A fair number of people were sucsessfully evacuated to these vaults before the war and a fair deal of them managed to escape unscathed. The Vaults were kept sealed for seventy years, and now the doors have opened and it is time to re-establish civilization. Here, each member is given the title of Vault Administrator and are the Ruler of this Vault Community.

The Standard Vault could accomidate some 7,500 people (which is your current population) is well hidden and remained undetected. It contains various supplies deemed nessisary to rebuild civilization, including 50 hydrogen powered tractors, hydrogen production system, prefrab structures, computer chip growing Nanite tank, metal recylcing systems, agricultural seedstocks, 20 hydrogen powered boats (if near the sea), an extensive library of Blueprints and and recently grown livestock produced in Exowombs. The whole mess is powered by a Nuclear Reactor of the Catagory which (Sorry Shep) does not produce Weapons Grade Uranium.

For Defense 20% of the Vault's population (1,500 residents) have been drafted, given military training and are now as well equiped and in general as well trained trained as the standard modern first world soldier and equiped to the same degree (Body Armor, Helmet, armed with an basically modern Assault Rifle and Pistol for your standard infantryman) as well as having squad level weapons, mortors, 5 howitzers, thirty five Hydrogen powered Humvee annolouges with TOW missiles, ten APCs (again, hydrogen Powered) and two attack helicopters at roughly modern stadards. Everything within 5 kilometers of your vault is not inhabited by anyone save for a few tribals and the odd scavenger searching the area and by general practice vaults were spaced out 15 KM.

Of course, you are not alone. There are several other groups of people outside which desipe not knowing of the Vaults

-Tribals, Hunter/Gatherer groups that mostly live in sparesly habitated areas such as in mountains, deep in forests, deserts and such. Generally have no technology more advanced than a few hunting rifles and assault rifles and tend to stay to themselves, save for when their Territory is encrouched upon.

-Scavengers, small nomadic groups, generally between 20 and 50 people in size that make a living salvaging stuff, trading and often other minor trades such as herding. They generally stay away from the more developed areas and occasionally come together to have Swap Meets. Unlike Tribals, they are generally more heavilly armed and willing to conduct buissiness, but can be touchy over claim jumping. A few of them are willing to engage in the Slave Trade.

-Barbarians, Barbarians are the Bane of the undeveloped areas, ranging from rag-tag bands of a few dozen individuals to massive clans up to ten thousand strong. Barbarians are heavily armed and engage in frequent warfare against each other and developed societies. Smaller groups of Barbarians are generally fairly mobile, making a living off hunting, herding, raiding and acting as mercenaries, while larger groups of Barbarians are generally more stationary, living in small Fortress communities known as holds surrounded by Farmland worked by Vassels, low ranking barbarians, full time agricultural serfs and Slaves. The standard Barbarian weapons are rugged bolt action, semi automatic and assault rifles like Molson Nagants, M1 Garands and Kalashnikovs with more established groups (in the 500 to 2,500 area) having access to fully automatic machine guns, low range rockets and mortors made by town gunsmiths, the largest generally have a couple old towed artillery peices, crude motorized gatling guns and simple Katyrushka rocket trucks. In terms of transportation, Horses and Wagons are the most commonly used, but alcohol/steam powered vehicles are also used, being a status symbol of sucsess, a medium sized hold (500 to 2,500) may have up to five of these, larger holds with dedicated machine shops and motorpools can have several dozen. Generally these are on the level of modern day technicals.

Holds are dug in fortress towns, normally surrounded by farmland. Holds have rammed earth and wood/scrap metal walls with watchtowers and sentries guarding in case of attack. Inside are houses/shops for various artisans, graineries, a hospital, a weapons factory and the homes of the leaders. Barbarians are willing to trade. Most Barbarians keep chattel slaves which they get from debters, the slave trade and conquered foes. Most Barbarians are respectable fighters in their own. However, Barbarians very immensely when it comes to their culture from region to reigion and clan to clan, reflecting the roughly pre-war scenario.

City States-City States are the closest things you have to proper civilization that survived. City states range in population from 10,000 to up to 250,000. City states consist of a central city with some level of industry, surrounded by farmland, possibly with a few minor sattilite towns in the farmland. City states constantly make war with each other over land, resources and slave wars, as well as fighting with barbarians, primarilly using light infantry, company level weapons and technicals, while the larger more advanced city states have armored cars, light cannon artillery and APCs and even a few fighter/bomber aircraft comprable to those from the 1940s (P51 to MiG-15 level). City states tend to fortify there towns with walls, stores, turrets and bunkets and tend to be rather militerized. City states may or may not use slavery, depending on their history, with a fifty/fifty devide between slave users and non slave users. Beyond that, City States very immensely in culture, government structure, social structure, ect.

There are a few minor nations composed of a couple of a few unified city states, such as the Scientologist Fuedal Kingdom of Hubbardia in California, the Tasmanian Empire or the Maine Republic in Maine with populations of up to a million people, but these are by far the the exception.

Pirates-Barbarians with ships, be they pre or post war construction. Pirates might be orginized into fleets or go about or in ships. There are a few pirate port cities (both cities run by Pirates and City states that simply think that it is a good idea to have) were they dock. Pirates also trade, as mercenaries, use Slaves and engage in Slaving. Pirates very alot in terms of culture.

Boar-apes-Boar Apes are large genetically engineere creatures derived from babons, apes and pigs (and look it). They are about human sized, walk mostly on all fours, hairy, have a wicked set of teeth, live in packs, breed as fast as pigs, can make use of tools up to crudely firing guns in the General derection of what they want dead, have tremendous upper body stregth, projectile vomit up to 5 meters and nasty hoof derived claws and bad tempers. Boar-Apes were designed by the Russians as a longterm anti-recovery biological weapon to be released into the wild to explode in number in america, eat livestock, eat crops, kill people in the wilderness, make transportation and travel dificult and bog down people in campaigns to eradicate them to slow down re-development. A few dozen were paradropped into the US to breed and a few more got out of holding pens in Russia and began breeding, producing large numbers of Boar-apes which spread across the world. Now roving packs of 10-30 Boar-Apes are the bane of rural areas, although a few have been domesticated as guard animals and their meat and hides are valued in a fair number of places.

'Borgs-'Borgs were desended from a couple thousand US military survivors which was given a specialized nanite computer chip fabrication system in a heavilly shielded system and had a few cybernetic technitions and engineers in their ranks. The group setttled in Oregon, rellying on cybernetic Augmentation to keep themselves alive and fighting against local barbarians and to give their soldiers key advantages in combat, while making use of POW labour to keep thing. They were basically a footnote until the 2050s, when their work in pacificiation capitive labourers led them to develop cybernetic control methods, first on/off controls for motor fuctions, then pleasure/pain triggers to remotely cause Ecstasy or agony and finally reprogramming to insure loyalty. The result was an ability to directly re-enforce their numbers from PoWs, gradually converting them into additional Borgs. This eventually led to a conflict of interest between those who desired to forcibly convert others to rebuild the US, seeing 'Borgs as the true inheritors of the Earth, those who desired to rebuild the US and those who desired simply to build a mostly peaceful Borg Dominanted nation in Oregon, resulting in an exodus as Borg factions moved inland and across the seas to new territories to develop their new factions, cutting into barbrian lands to expand.

Outside the Cybernetic Republic in Oregon, 'Borg settlements tend to be advanced fortress towns known as Hubs with some farmland around them. Hubs are very well fortified and contain machine shops, very matial and have weapons factories, storehouses, motorpool, entertainment facillities and of course, Cybernetics facillities. Hubs have populations between 1,000 and 50,000 individuals. Due to the technical mechanical limitations, production of Cybernetic components takes time and effort. As such, most Hubs are run by a military Elite of heavily cyberized Cyborgs (about 10-30%) with various humans with minimal cyberization beneith them. Many of them are slaves fitted with basic control cybernetics (off switches and pleasure/pain triggers), which are often used to bolster ranks in the heat of battle as simple cannon fodder, while the elite are heavily cyberized soldiers clad in heavy armor with augmentation stronger (and able to carry heavier weapons and more supplies) and faster than the standard Human with extensive military programming, processing additional humans into either catagory as the need arises, as well as reproducing via cloning and more conventional human means. Vehicle support comes in armored cars and missile artillery. 'Borg settlements are generally willing to negotiate with locals for assistance and trade, especially for raw materials and Slaves for conversion, although mosthold based 'Borgs do see themselves as superior to Humans, generally refering to them as Obsolete Apes. Holds often fight Humans for captives, as well as among themselves over ideological diferences and a desire to create a unified global Cyborg Empire, although bickering has made that unfeisable. Currently they make up a small precentage of Earth's population. Borgs are generally distrusted by non-Borgs, partially from religous regions, largely because of the fact that a large number of people don't want to be captured and forcibly turned into a Cyborg against their will, although a few city states and barbarian clans ally themselves with more flexible Borgs. There have been a few Crusades/Jihads/holy wars against them, but these have never been sucsessful at completly eradicating Cyborg presences from large areas although they have destroyed a few Hubs.

There are a few Borgs which live among largely non-borg communities, including individuals which disagree with massed forced Cyberization and those which have been given Cybernetic augmentation by borgs but are not part of their heirarchy. These are generally allies who receive it as a gift as allies and 'repaired' wounded warriors from allied barbarians clans and city states.

What happens?

Zor

[Ford Prefect]

I exploit the SPECIAL system and take over the world because of all the critical hits I'm scoring.

More seriously, if I'm running what amounts to a Vault, I would be interested in meeting up with othe Vault admins in order to pool our resources and technical know-how. It is likely that each individual Vault is virtually unassailable except through a siege - a coalition of Vaults which watch each others backs is going to be able to effectively stave off all but the most determined enemies. Our libraries of technical stuff would be pretty good for trade, too.

[Solauren]

Would it be possible to capture a Borg for reverse engineering of the underlaying technology? It sounds like the best bet for rebuilding is to use there technology to capture + reprogram sentients enmass.

I'm thinking find a way to do it, unleash massive chemical weapon attacks (knock out gas), move in with Borg troops with built in air-filters, and start plugging people in with slave circuits until we get them all.

[loomer]

I exploit the SPECIAL system and take over the world because of all the critical hits I'm scoring.

More seriously, if I'm running what amounts to a Vault, I would be interested in meeting up with othe Vault admins in order to pool our resources and technical know-how. It is likely that each individual Vault is virtually unassailable except through a siege - a coalition of Vaults which watch each others backs is going to be able to effectively stave off all but the most determined enemies. Our libraries of technical stuff would be pretty good for trade, too.

On that note, the vaults could probably adapt the tractors to diggers - how fantastic would having the Vaults connected by underground tunnels be?

[Ryan Thunder]

Would it be possible to capture a Borg for reverse engineering of the underlaying technology? It sounds like the best bet for rebuilding is to use there technology to capture + reprogram sentients enmass.

I'm thinking find a way to do it, unleash massive chemical weapon attacks (knock out gas), move in with Borg troops with built in air-filters, and start plugging people in with slave circuits until we get them all.

I'd have to band together with whomever else is willing to try and stop you.

While I also believe that restoring civilization is key, the last thing I want is to give the rulers of that civilization mind control.

[Sidewinder]

Would it be possible to capture a Borg for reverse engineering of the underlaying technology? It sounds like the best bet for rebuilding is to use there technology to capture + reprogram sentients enmass.

I'm thinking find a way to do it, unleash massive chemical weapon attacks (knock out gas), move in with Borg troops with built in air-filters, and start plugging people in with slave circuits until we get them all.

Let's stick with plugging Boar-Apes with slave circuits. Plugging human beings with the damn things is unethical AND invites a lot of negative attention from other human organizations, e.g., other Borgs, city-states, barbarians and pirates; enslaving members of those organizations will get us branded a serious threat, and they may form an alliance to destroy our vaults.

On that note, the vaults could probably adapt the tractors to diggers - how fantastic would having the Vaults connected by underground tunnels be?

Those tunnels will be a big sign saying, "Invade through here!" to the barbarians, pirates, Borgs, etc. Don't say, "They won't be found," we CURRENTLY have ground-penetrating radar technology for these things, and even if the layers of earth muffle the sound from the excavation, I'm certain this will leave SOMETHING detectable, e.g., tremors, vibrations, animals fleeing an area they assume will be hit by an earthquake, etc.

Personally, I'd develop lighter-than-air and heavier-than-air flight, and try to make use of whatever satellites remain in orbit. Yes, aircraft are more visible during takeoff, but they're also useful for scouting, reconnaissance, patrols, early warning... More useful for these purposes than subways.

[Zor]

Would it be possible to capture a Borg for reverse engineering of the underlaying technology?.

If you see fit to go down that path, Yes.

Zor

[The Romulan Republic]

Well, my bunker should be all but unassailable to the local armies, even in siege. But outside it I simply don't have the numbers to take on the city states, minor nations, or big barbarian tribes. Then their're these borg guys, who sound like a serious expansionist threat. So my first goal would be to get allies, either among the others from SDN (being new puts me at a disadvantage here), or among the city states. This could be achieved by going to some of the more civilized city states and offering them the full advantages of my technology in exchange for loyalty and military support.

Short term goals will be to build a regional coalition strong enough to take on any single other faction, and securing a major port or water way. Mid-term goals would be to improve infrastructure and education, and establish law, order, and certain democratic institutions. Long term goals will be to eradicate the more dangerous expansionist factions, either by co-opting them through trade and diplomacy or through military means if nessissary.

I can see one major obstacle however, even if I do not come under immediate attack. My people have been sealed in these vaults for how long? Will they possess immunity to most diseases? the last thing I want is to have my population immediately halved by a plauge.

[haard]

Build alliances or merge government with other nearby vaults.
Since manpower and industrial capacity is low, identify city-states that can be brought into the fold, through political (preferably) or military means.
'Uplift' those city-states to increase available manpower and industrial capacity. Prioritize infrastructure and communications is 'my' territory.

...reading what I wrote...

Yeah, try to cooperate with other vaults, then expand by emulating the Roman empire.

[Shortie]

7500 isn't a big number, and 20% of the population isn't a sustainable military except as defensive militia.

Thus there's no way any one of us can stand up to an open assualt by any major power, and discovery, even by a minor tribe, will mean more and more attacks, there're too many valuables in a Vault.

OTOH, even the most civilised city-states are going to be pretty different to us after 2 generations of isolation and re-development, so we can't rely on getting on with them without a big stick to back us up.

That means we need to be talking to each other, and find a safe place to expand. That either means linking territory around several vaults, and sending resources from ones further away (which stay hidden) to back them up, or going somewhere else.

Noting the mention of boats I'd be looking for some convenient islands to take over - take your pick based on your country. With our tech edge sinking any invaders should be doable, and that lets us control our visible borders, trade in safety, and keep our real bases truly secure.

Longer term encourage trade and good immigrants, and when we've got a solid power base ally with someone fairly trust-worthy.

[Solauren]

Since I can reverse engineer the Borg technology....

Yes, I'm going that route.

Start, as suggested, with the Boar-Ape beings. Loyalty chips. If possible, try to develop a long range dart-delivery system.

Hack the Borg tech, and learn how to over-ride / take it over. It's Sci-Fi tech, should be possible if I find a smart ass 16 year old to do it (grin).

Find a way to apply this to animals as well. Turning animals into Borg combat troops would be a good way to create an army to defend the vault, as well as help expand.


My plan is, assuming I take control of the world using this is simple

First generation / 30 years; Borg ("jacked") if you were not born into the civlization. Anyone born into it however, will not be jacked.
Births 30 - 50 years after conquest; Will not be jacked, but no one will be unjacked either. The idea is to force-create the civilization, and let people breed unable to act against the government. By the time everyone that's been jacked dies off, the civilization will be nice, stable, and will not want to return to tribal ways.

Harsh, but very effective.

Hopefully, I can talk the rest of you into going this route. Realistically, even with our combined population, we are outgunned and outnumbered in every way. We might have to go down this path in order to expand or even survive.

And just remember, most of the civilizations of modern earth evolved out of a dictatorship. Democracies are good to expand a civilization, but arn't always the best way to build them.

[Ryan Thunder]

Hopefully, I can talk the rest of you into going this route. Realistically, even with our combined population, we are outgunned and outnumbered in every way. We might have to go down this path in order to expand or even survive.

And just remember, most of the civilizations of modern earth evolved out of a dictatorship. Democracies are good to expand a civilization, but arn't always the best way to build them.

I'm not buying. I have no problem with setting up an authoritarian and/or imperialist/expansionist state. I do have a problem with giving the leaders of such a state mind controlling technology. Yes, even if its me.

That technology, or rather, the means to use it, needs to be destroyed.

[The Romulan Republic]

Hopefully, I can talk the rest of you into going this route. Realistically, even with our combined population, we are outgunned and outnumbered in every way. We might have to go down this path in order to expand or even survive.

And just remember, most of the civilizations of modern earth evolved out of a dictatorship. Democracies are good to expand a civilization, but arn't always the best way to build them.

I'm not buying. I have no problem with setting up an authoritarian and/or imperialist/expansionist state. I do have a problem with giving the leaders of such a state mind controlling technology. Yes, even if its me.

That technology, or rather, the means to use it, needs to be destroyed.

Agreed. This is the point where I seek you out for an alliance.

[CDiehl]

I'll assume I was in charge of my vault for some time before we leave it. The first thing I'd do once in charge is to do research about what resources we have in the area around my vault. Then, I look into what technology we can produce easily. When the doors are opened, I initially send out scouts under guard to determine the quality of the water, air and soil in the area. Once we know we can stay out there safely, I start moving my people out, expanding from the vault to establish farms and prospect for metals. Also, I build a ring of fortifications around the vault entrance, and begin establishing a town around it. Also, I begin to produce weapons to arm my outlying farmers and mines, using my regular army to patrol the area I control.

As I start to find other communities of people, I set up the means to produce modern technology, especially trade goods and items related to communication. For example, I set up breweries, wineries and distilleries to produce alcoholic drinks. I set up foundries and sawmills to produce wood and metal. I set up a transmission tower and manufacture radios to sell to my neighbors. I set up publishers to print books and newspapers, and send out presses to my neighbors to print their own. With all these things and more, I give these less advanced peoples a taste for modern things. This makes their leaders want to ally with me. I encourage trade and peace, and if I'm attacked, I have allies to help me fight.

In case of an attack, I plan to improve my troops' equipment early and often. My goal is to keep my people with a technology edge over even my allies; I'll manufacture better gear for them than what they had, but not quite as good as what I have. When I have to fight, my plans will focus on crushing an enemy quickly and totally. That way, my allies will want my friendship even more. If I look weak, they'll all gang up on me and take what I have.

[loomer]

If we're going the route of what we'd do prior to emerging as well, then I have a few more words.

One, I'd start the recycling of extant cloth to make blue and yellow jumpsuits. Two, I'd decree that one individual in every generation be named the Vault Dweller.

On a more serious note, send out scouts to check the surrounding land and its contamination levels and contact the nearby Vaults. Even if deep underground tunnels are a bad idea (let us assume that only tribals inhabit the area nearby - how the fuck are they going to work out what those tremors mean?), small passages dug by very basic robots in order to string communication and power exchange cables could be useful.

Second step is to establish a small cover town about three kilometres from the vault. Farming, mostly. Perhaps three hundred people and a small militia detachment for defense. That way it'll seem less suspicious when a month or a year or a decade later the rest begin to emerge and become active - and we'll have a clearer idea of any effects lingering mutagenic or toxic compounds may have had (I'm looking at you, Brahmin, not you, Spiderman.)

Third step is to begin civilizing the local tribes, initially by posing as godlike figures. If they react in a hostile manner, dispatch militia detachments with fairly primitive napalm to burn them out, take the children under the age of 8, and raise them as part of our society.

[The Yosemite Bear]

how exactly did me, poe, Havok, and Dalton wind up being Deathclaw vault leaders?

[Swindle1984]

Since a population of 7,500 and only 1,500 militia isn't enough to sustain a society if hostile forces find us, I would immediately attempt to locate other Vaults and ally with them. I definitely need to secure enough allies to make any sort of raiding or feud with the local warlord something I don't need to worry about.

My first priority, after securing some allies with a promise that an attack against one would result in retaliation by all the others, would be to produce a decent enough military to make it necessary to come after me with an actual army. Since I have machinery, blueprints, etc. but a small population, I'm definitely going to have to try the route of highly advanced but numerically inferior school of thought.

Since the most likely threats are raiders and barbarians equipped with small arms and some improvised field artillery, first I'd start cranking out armor. If I can produce a handful of M1A2 Abrams or their equivelent, then I would be basically unconquerable if I didn't fuck up tactically. Even WWII-technology tanks would give me a huge advantage, as I'd basically have mobile, armored artillery/assault guns and the enemy doesn't. I'd concentrate mostly on IFV's rather than MBT's since I'll be fighting infantry and unarmored vehicles for the most part.

Aircraft would also be a priority. If the enemy doesn't have aircraft of his own and lacks the weaponry to shoot mine down, then even a handful of WWI biplanes would give me a major advantage in reconnaissance and surprise attacks. Aircraft armed with rockets and heavy bombs would basically be invincible.

If I can reverse-engineer Borg technology, then I'm definitely doing so. Anything to get my tech base built up.

Hopefully, I can encourage more and more people from city-states and barbarian hordes to join my alliance. Make a deal where low-tech societies will send me tribute in the form of foodstuffs and other goods in exchange for protection against bandits, and higher-tech societies provide me with soldiers and an expanded manufacturing base for war materiel, computers, communication equipment, farming implements, etc. I'd use a combination of stick-and-carrot diplomacy and gunboat diplomacy to get what I need.

Slavery will be a necessary evil, but only on a limited basis. Prisoners of war will be used as labor until negotiations are made to return them. Criminals will be used as forced labor. Those who are unable to pay their debts can enter a contract to work as a slave (indentured servitude) to pay it off. Laws will have to be put in place to limit the number of years someone can be made a slave and to prevent abuse (working someone to death, starving them, rape, etc.). Hopefully we can quickly get an economic system working so we can replace slavery (except for criminals, who work as punishment) with paid labor and abolish slavery entirely.

Eventually, if all goes well, this will result in a fairly stable confederacy with a centralized military and enough manufacturing to at least get people back to a 20th century technology level. If I can then begin exporting manufactured goods for raw material and expanding the alliance, eventually we should get the country rebuilt. Following which, we continue to expand to take over the continent and bring light to the new dark age. I'd prefer to do this expansion via diplomacy and alliance rather than invasion and conquest, but societies that are hostile would need to be dealt with accordingly.

[The Yosemite Bear]

mmmm, tasty villagers, uhh, sorry I'm a deathclaw, I guess I have some ghouls as minions

[Swindle1984]

mmmm, tasty villagers, uhh, sorry I'm a deathclaw, I guess I have some ghouls as minions

I'm going to put you in a cage and feed my enemies to you.

[The Yosemite Bear]

you can try....