MINNESOTA
The land of a thousand lakes is today the land of a thousand refugees. The relative isolation brought in a major influx of refugees early in the post-nuke chaos years. By 1964, however, many of these have moved back south to warmer climes to where food production is steadier. The state now is about 80% empty wild woods, with scattered settlements. Large groups of marauders are rare as there is little to loot.
1) NUCLEAR TARGETS
None.
2) ORGANIZED MILITARY FORCES
None. The state's 47th Infantry Division was shipped to Europe in 1963 and crushed beyond recognition. There is a small, rotating CivGov garrison at Red Wing from the LaCrosse enclave, and occasional patrols into the hinterlands, but no large standing forces exist in the state.
3) NORTHERN MINNESOTA
The northern woods and lakes provide a wonderful place for wandering groups of hunting/fishing parties. The area still receives some lake-effect rains. A few small coastal communities on Lake Superior are thriving fishing towns. The wild north is also home to numerous survivalist retreats. Of note is a 30-acre survivalist compound on the outskirts of Lake Bronson State Park and another in the deeps of the Red Lake Wildlife Management Area built by a visionary man and survivalist named Bob Carter. It is mostly underground, with tunnels several dozen feet beneath the surface.
International Falls: Typical of survivor communities in the northern reaches of the state overflowing with hundreds of refugees from the Twin Cities and Winnipeg. They survive by fishing and hunting and sporadic trade with other towns. They have been known to waylay travelers and raid surrounding villages when food is short and have as such garnered a reputation as a dangerous place for strangers to visit.
Duluth: In the aftermath of the chaos and plagues, only one out of every ten people survived in Duluth. Today, distribution of scarce resources is managed by the former officer candidates and instructors from the ROTC program at UMD, who felt it necessary to declare martial law in late 1962. At first, the ROTC remained responsible to the chancellor of UMD and to local police authority. In time, however, they realized that they held real power and refused to be controlled. They took control of the resources and materials of survival, formed a militia and set the stage for the return of a feudal society. Duluth today is still known for its active iron foundries. The supplies of raw iron for Duluth come from the taconite mines near Virginia some 70 miles to the north. Virginia itself is an almost deserted town, serving simply as a garrison for the mines and a supply depot for the militia. About 100 militiamen operate out of the town; half to guard the mines, the other half to protect the town and Highway 53 south to Duluth.
Intrusion: Some Canadian military units have recently launched raids against marauder formations into northern Minnesota, which have been of no great concern to the individualistic citizens of those states glad to be rid of a few more marauders. These troops are mostly elements of the Royal Canadian Regiment and the 3rd Battalion Toronto Regiment both based in Thunder Bay, Ontario.
4) THE TWIN CITIES: The state's lone metro area are a shambles. Abandoned in the chaos after the nuclear exchanges, the city was left to the dregs. Even when it was clear that the city was not to be nuked, most citizens chose not to go back, and many of those that did just went back to loot and burn. Groups of crazies and thugs fighting over spoils for the last two years have left many of the buildings in ruin and everything of real value destroyed. If 4,000 people are still alive in the metroplex then it's a miracle. As with most large urban centers in 1964, the city is under the sway of a plethora of warring gangs and marauders and infested with rats and packs of wild dogs. There is no electricity, guns are plentiful and ammunition is common. The area around Hennepin Avenue and Lake Street in Minneapolis is held by the "Porns", a 600-strong gang led by a former porn-chain and adult movie-house owner and organized crime boss named Creel. Most of Saint Paul is held by the "Horns", an organized group of former members of the First Church of the Nazarene who stayed in the city when everyone else fled. The Horns are about 400 strong and are led by the Reverend Paul, they control the areas around the Concordia University campus and Harding High School. The southern suburbs of the metroplex are the warring grounds of the "Wacks", a group of escaped mental patients from an asylum in Bloomington. The gritty downtown areas are no-man's-lands that are constantly warred over by all the groups. The University of Minnesota and the three hospitals are in the center zone and are the frequent targets of salvage raids. The northwestern suburbs are loosely held by the "Nomads", made up mostly of former Porns and Horns who are tired of the fighting and are trying to settle down around the lakes and creeks around Anoka. They are 200 strong and led by a man named Zahner, they have all of three rifles, having forsaken the violence for a peaceful way.
Military: The large CivGov enclave across the border in LaCrosse, WI runs patrols throughout the rolling hills of southern Minnesota, with a permanent outpost centered in the town of Red Wing southeast of the city. These men make it a point not to get involved in the mess there.
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