Kota, that’s great stuff from someone who has had eyes on the ground. Thanks for taking the time to share.
I’m at the point where I’m going to abandon the idea of putting 104th ID in Wyoming at all. The unit history says the division was assigned security missions in Montana and Idaho. Cheyenne is a cinder. While I see logic in having a security force at Laramie, a contingent from Colorado might be a better choice for this job than a force from 104th ID.
The challenges of distance in Wyoming certainly must be taken into account. It seems like security would be an enormous challenge. Marauders on horseback would be able to take advantage of the distances between communities and resources by striking, then melting back into the landscape. On the other hand, the distances can work against marauders, too. I suppose a good deal depends on who the marauders are. Raiders with horses, good horse-keeping skills, and good survival skills might be able to survive in the great stretches of unsettled land of Wyoming in between raids. Raiders lacking in these skills might be less capable, although a group modeled after the vermin on wheels of The Road Warrior would add an interesting dynamic. (Seriously, are these guys iconic, or what?) If raiders on motorcycles and dune buggies were shrewd enough to hide their movements and elude larger Milgov patrols, they might have a chance.
Wyoming might look a lot like New England by early 2001 in that fortified communities exist in a sea of land dominated by marauders. Howling Wilderness alludes to this idea, and Kota supports the idea with observations about towns with machine tools and extensive extraction operations. Provided the operations can be kept supplied with food, they can make important contributions to the recovery of the nation. One could really have fun with a sourcebook devoted to Wyoming.
One thing that doesn’t make a lot of sense to me is the ongoing attrition of 104th ID between July of 2000 and April of 2001. Supposedly, the food situation in Montana has stabilized. Idaho is an important agricultural player on the national stage, having strong exports of potatoes and wheat. While the lack of fossil fuels will mean the end of (or drastic reduction in) mechanized agriculture, surely some of the local populace who will just be sitting around waiting for their rations can be assigned jobs on the farms. At any rate, stable supplies of food must mean that young men can be recruited locally for military service. Are we to believe that between 2000 and 2001 the loss rate for 104th ID has surpassed recruitment by 2000 men in an area where food supplies are adequate? It seems odd to me. I may have to modify the headcount given in Howling Wilderness.
Looking ahead to Milgov’s plans sans the Howling Wilderness drought, what if the first stage of the big plan is to restore a secure land route between Colorado and the Pacific along rail and river routes through Wyoming, Idaho, and Washington? With this route in hand, surpluses could be shared between the major Milgov enclaves in Colorado, Puget Sound, and central California. (One corollary is that the Pacific coastline would have to be sufficiently secure to allow traffic.) A secure land route linking these places would obviate the need for airships, which would free whatever airships were available for contact with more isolated Milgov cantonments, like the ones in southern Illinois, New Jersey, etc. This being the case, reduction of the New American presence in Boise would be absolutely critical. Defeat of the Boise New Americans and restoration of the riverine supply route would be a major morale boost for Milgov and also would serve to demonstrate to the folks in Utah that Milgov was getting things in hand.
Hm. It appears that the 104th's upcoming action in Idaho is critical. The actions of PCs in Boise could have a huge impact on the future of the society. The challenge in designing a GDW-style module around this idea is to give the PCs a thing to acquire that will be meaningful. In almost every other module (we'll ignore City of Angels for now...shudder), the PCs are after something tangible, like a painting, gold, specific people, and so on. How to figure out what that should be in southern Idaho? How can that thing play into the bigger picture of 104th ID's offensive?
Webstral
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