WEST VIRGINIA
West Virginia is still a wild backwater of racism and clan infighting, a region of scenic beauty and less than beautiful people. The rugged mountains appear to be mostly devoid of life, but on closer inspection the state teems with life in the secluded hollows and isolated mountain canyons. Travel through the steep hills, except along established roads, is difficult in the summer months and nearly impossible after the snow starts failing. Roads of any sort through the mountains were formerly few--improved roads, even fewer--and multilane hardtop highways were the rarest and were a key ingredient to a successful trade and travel. Complete passage by vehicle from point to point is usually impossible, and by mule or foot it is difficult. In addition to collapsed tunnels and bridges, the remote sections are often clogged with the rusting wrecks of abandoned vehicles. Another common sight on these roads are skeletons as thousands upon thousands of refugees who died here in the first months of the chaos--city folks who underestimated the harsh climate of the West Virginia hills. The marauders that infest these hills usually travel in small groups (from three to 60 members), are indifferently armed, and are usually not too experienced, bright or healthy. They can, however, be dangerous to those who let their guard down. None of the larger cities are intact, and little civic leadership is seen above the town and family level.
1) NUCLEAR TARGETS
None.
2) ORGANIZED MILITARY FORCES
The West Virginia National Guard contained the 150th Armored Cavalry Regiment. Called up for the Berlin Crisis in 1961, this unit was one of the first shipped to Europe to counter the Warsaw Pact's aggression in 1962. It was crushed in action there and has ceased to exist as a unit. The state's National Guard was small to begin with, and most of the personnel were long-time residents who had families to feed and protect before they went off to serve the nation. As such, there are virtually no organized military units left in the state, and that is just how the citizens want it.
157th Military Police Company--Wheeling (53 men)
3) THE STATE AT LARGE
Charleston: The former state capital is now mostly a collection of burnt-out and empty buildings with a brackish river running through it. The northern suburbs are home now of "Jameyson's Irregulars", a large 250-strong marauder band, which, despite the name, is led by a man called "Moose". They are well-armed with a mixture of civilian and military equipment, as many of it's members are deserters.
Wheeling: While the city proper is only occupied by about 1,400 survivors, there is a useable bridge across the Ohio River here. The bridge is heavily fortified on the eastern end and controlled by the West Virginia National Guard 157th Military Police Company (53 men). This unit is just about the only organized National Guard group left in the state, and is really an independent force using the NG name to help it extort tolls from the bridge traffic.
New America in West Virginia: If the state were a teapot, then the spout would be firmly under New American control. In fact, New America's national leader, Carl Hughes, has a fortified residence in Charles Town. Hughes’ home is virtually a supply cache in of itself, filled with all kinds of loot, tons of food, thousands of rounds of ammo, and hundreds of weapons, as well as a number of mainframe computers still in operation. While he has grand plans for West Virginia, so far Hughes has been content to monitor the success of his followers across the nation from the safety of his castle.
Mystery I: In the deep coal mines of Pocahontas County, just across the state line with Virginia, there is the craggy ridge of Warwick Mountain. Rumor has it that there is a secret government base hidden down in the bowls of the mines on the crest of the ridge. Some even say that this is where President Kennedy is, still hiding out from a vengeful nation. In a small lake in the valley east of Warwick Mountain it is said that Air Force One crash landed, backwoods trappers have seen it's rusting tail plane still sticking up out of the lake.
Mystery II: Rumors abound in the region of a secret US military base hidden somewhere in the Paylaytion Mountains. It was code named "Pine Bough Farm" in the records and it was officially listed as a "Rest and Relaxation Facility" for government big wigs. However, Department of Defense supply and requisition forms had too much military grade, top-of-the-line equipment moving into that location throughout the late 1950s for anyone to believe that.
|