Twilight 2000 Nordic Sourcebook: Organizations

[John Farson]

The following are descriptions of the most important organizations in the Nordic countries (military, political and fringe). Many smaller groups are formed and dissolved all the time, so the gamemaster should not feel himself confined to this list alone.

Kingdom of Denmark

Pre-war: Denmark was a constitutional monarchy whose queen served as the nation’s figurehead and chief PR person. Legislative power was held by a 340-member parliament, which normally decided things. However, a direct referendum could be held if 2/3 of the parliament was for it. Executive power was held by the prime minister and an 18-member cabinet, which was accountable to parliament. At the beginning of the war the Social Democrats were in power.

The war: The entire royal family was killed in the bombing of Copenhagen, which is why Denmark is now effectively a republic led by a few ministers. The war and subsequent bombing of Copenhagen changed everything as the government was killed almost to the last minister. In the resulting panic the country lacked any real leadership, but order was restored thanks to prompt action by the authorities as well as the withdrawal of the Danish Schleswig Regiment from Germany back to Denmark in December 1997, when they were re-assigned internal security duties. Former education minister Aase Haarder became an important figure during this time. His systematic and determined efforts in gathering together the remnants of the old parliament and government finally bore fruit, and the provisional military government was replaced with a civilian government elected by parliament, consisting of a few ministers and former members of parliament. The new government unanimously voted to continue martial law until the raider groups and general chaos could be defeated.

Structure: Denmark’s current system of government is a remnant of its previous version. Parliament is effectively non-existent as a five-member cabinet holds all legislative and executive power. The government consists of a prime minister, minister of defense, minister of the interior, minister of agriculture and fishing, and minister of trade and industry. Assisting the government are a large number of various civil servants who turn what would otherwise be a simple administrative machine into a slow and bureaucratic one. Sometimes bribery seems to be the only way to get anywhere. Civil servants are just as honorable (or dishonorable) as anywhere else during these restless times. Usually Danish bureaucrats accept bribes in gold, for they have enough food.

Leaders: Denmark’s current leader is Prime Minister Aase Haarder, who was education minister before the war. The other ministries are distributed in the following fashion: Ole Kock-Olesen (Minister of Defense), Palle Olesen (Minister of Agriculture and Fishing), Gustav Sandman (Minister of Trade and Industry), Annette Nielsen (Minister of the Interior).

[John Farson]

Kingdom of Norway

Pre-war: Norway was a constitutional monarchy, with the order of succession following absolute primogeniture since 1990. The King had executive power via the Council of State, which almost always exercised executive powers in his name. In addition to the prime minister, the Council of State (stadsråd) had 18 ministers. The Norwegian parliament (storting), which could not be dissolved, was a 150-member body elected every four years. Before the war the governing coalition consisted of the Labour Party, the Conservative Party (Höyre) and the Centre Party.

The war: The entire government and many members of parliament were killed in the nuclear attack on Oslo in 10 November 1997. The royal family was also killed except for Prince Jungi, who had been on a skiing vacation. For over a month the army, empowered by martial law, was the only government available until Prince Jungi finally made contact with the remnants of the government as the chaos abated. Supported by the army, Prince Jungi was crowned King Haakon VIII on 27 December 1997. The rapid actions of the new government, as well as the fact that the people loved and trusted their new king, accelerated the reorganization of the state.

Structure: Haakon VIII is king of Norway. His kingdom is at war with the Warsaw Pact and half of it is occupied by Soviet troops. He also serves as prime minister and effectively rules as an absolute monarch without parliament. The other members of the Council of State are mostly soldiers who swear allegiance directly to the King. The Council convenes daily to discuss various issues, with the King having final say.

Below the Council are municipal mayors and military commanders. These persons can present their case either to the Council or directly to the King. Lately, under the popular King industry has been restarted and more resources have been pooled to fishing and agriculture. So far King Haakon’s Norway has a functioning food distribution network, the improvement of which is continually deliberated by the Council. The Council has no permanent structure. Instead, it is a mostly advisory body under the command of an absolute monarch. The Council members compete mercilessly against each other over the King’s favor. Naturally this involves all sorts of foul play.

Leaders: King Haakon VIII serves as head of the Council of State, commander-in-chief of the armed forces and prime minister. General Magnus Haardraade, the Chief of Defense of Norway, is other important figure in the regime and a steadfast supporter of the King.

[John Farson]

Republic of Finland

Pre-war: Finland was a constitutional republic with legislative power in the hands of the 200-member parliament. Executive power was shared between the Cabinet, which answered to parliament, and the relatively powerful president, who could veto parliament’s bills and also dissolve it. In addition to the prime minister the government had 18 ministers. Before the war the coalition government consisted of the National Coalition Party, the Social Democrats, the Green League and the Swedish People’s Party of Finland.

The war: The Finnish administrative apparatus survived largely intact despite the nuclear attack on Helsinki. This was mainly due to a good civil defense program and the fact that the nuclear warheads had hit the outskirts of the capital instead of the city center. The collapse happened soon afterwards, however, as the plane carrying the President and the Cabinet crashed with no survivors. Through cooperation between parliament and the military a special Emergency Committee was created, consisting of military personnel and members of parliament. Parliament was dissolved and those former MPs who weren’t admitted to the Emergency Committee were appointed to provincial administrative duties instead. Many MPs originally opposed this arrangement, but they have since largely submitted to Marshal Koivuniemi’s will.

The Republic of Finland is officially still neutral and effectively at war with both NATO and the Warsaw Pact. At the moment it is ready to make peace with both sides on the basis of pre-war borders and relations. The Republic of Finland is officially recognized by both sides.

During the last few years the Emergency Council has done as much as possible to rebuild Finland and restart industrial production. Most Finns are satisfied with the Council’s achievements but political opponents still exist among the former MPs.

Structure: The Emergency Council consists of 15 people, which includes the Chairman. Most of the work is done by individual members together with their aides, while major decisions are decided at Council meetings. Soldiers and various state organizations control a majority of Council seats. Directly under the Emergency Council are the governors, who have direct control over their respective military forces and remaining bureaucracy. Although Koivuniemi runs the country well – considering the circumstances – corruption and black marketeering exists at the gubernatorial level and below.

Leaders: Field Marshal Tuomo Koivuniemi is the Chairman of the Emergency Committee. He is also the Chief of Defence of the Finnish Defence Forces. Other important figures are Juha Louhisuo (head of Supo, the Finnish Security Intelligence Service) and Reijo Kontkanen (head of Alko, responsible for alcohol production as well as traffic).

[John Farson]

Kingdom of Sweden

Pre-war: Sweden was a constitutional monarchy whose king was a male member of the House of Bernadotte. The government (statsråd) consisted of the prime minister and 14 ministers. Actual government function was carried out in cabinet meetings. Parliament consisted of a 350-member Riksdag that held legislative power and to which the government was held accountable. Before the war the government consisted of the Social Democrats, Centre Party, Moderate Party and Communist Party.

The war: The King, the entire Royal Family and most of the government and Riksdag were killed in the mass panic that engulfed Stockholm following the beginning of the nuclear war. This was soon followed by anarchy and civil war. Only the army maintained some sort of cohesion in the chaos, which made it clear that any governing structure would have to be formed by the military.

Structure: Currently Sweden is led by the Riksdag, which has been reconstituted from the surviving pre-war MPs. They deliberate matters through negotiating, and after a vote the tasks are delegated through the chain of command. This is supported by a network of surviving bureaucrats throughout the Kingdom’s territory. The military puts their communication networks at the civilian authorities’ disposal and in theory they play no other role. In practice, however, numerous military advisors alongside soldiers appointed to replace deceased bureaucrats means that the military holds significant political influence.

Leaders: General Gustav Johansson is Chairman of the Riksdag and Prime Minister. Below him are some civilian politicians, but the most influential posts have been given to the military. Corruption and behind-the-scenes power struggles flourish in the Riksdag. Numerous high-ranking cabinet posts and positions have a rapid turnover as a result. At the moment the government’s most important opponent is a conspiracy consisting of army officers whose names no one yet knows.

[John Farson]

Republic of Sweden

Pre-war: The Republic of Sweden, also known as Vita Sverige (White Sweden), largely existed only in the dreams of Leo Grönblom, a young demagogue. The new republic would be a national socialist system ruled by the party he created in 1991, the Swedish People’s Home Party. In this new state, all “toxic” elements such as private price competition and various immigrant groups of the “wrong” color would be rooted out.

The war: With central government collapsing in the general chaos, Leo Grönblom and his supporters seized a radio station in Haparanda and declared that the revolution for a new Sweden had begun. A group of military units fed up with the feckless Johansson immediately joined with the revolution. Grönblom promoted himself to general and announced the birth of a new republic. So far no state has recognized the Republic.

Grönblom managed to seize the northern three quarters of Sweden virtually without a shot due to the feckless Johansson. At first the battles fought in the civil war were small-scale, but by the middle of 1998 battles were already fought at the brigade-level.

Structure: So far, the Republic’s administrative system is based on the autonomy of villages, towns and cities, above which is the National Central Committee. This Committee contains all the important people, and it has no permanent organization. The Central Committee deliberates the important matters among themselves, and the final decision is made by the Chairman himself. This practice is very similar to that of Norway. Lately the most pressing matters have been the famine and the war against the Kingdom of Sweden, but some form of rebuilding program is being planned.

Leaders: Leo Grönblom is the Chairman of the Central Committee. His friends and the commanders of the Republican military units fill out the rest of the Committee’s seats. Grönblom’s administration has so far been good, and the successful trade with Finland is much emphasized. His subjects fare well (compared to other Swedes).

[John Farson]

KGB

The KGB (Komitet Gosudarstvennoy Bezopasnosti or Committee for State Security) employed over 500,000 border guards. It had very modern equipment and its personnel consisted of the most politically reliable men. During the war they were used in protecting the rear and guarding POW camps. The border guards were effectively a private political army, separate from the army. The KGB’s network of agents covered the whole of Northern Europe, and agents usually used Soviet embassies as their bases of operation.

This infamous organization has suffered very much in the Leningrad Military District. Its facilities were destroyed in the war and its last commander, A.V. Govorov, was killed when NATO dropped a 1 megaton nuclear bomb on Leningrad. Currently its leaders and network of agents are dispersed.

The KGB’s true strength in the Nordic countries at the moment is its three border guard brigades which have been placed on the Finnish border. With these it supervises traffic to the Kola Peninsula and observes Finland. The numbers and equipment of these border guards is in constant decline, however, and the effectiveness of these units cannot be regarded as particularly great.

Structure: Because of the war the KGB’s organization has been simplified a bit in the Nordic countries. The border guards are (reluctantly) under the command of the Red Army and the foreign network of agents now operates under the command of the KGB station in Turku. About a dozen agents roam the Nordic countries gathering information, posing usually as military personnel (medics, military policemen etc.). Baltic traders are often used as couriers, with some of them being members of the KGB and others doing it for money. The reports are submitted to Colonel Malenkov in Turku, who has steady communications with the KGB station near the ruins of Leningrad.

Leaders: Colonel Yuri Malenkov is the head of the station in Turku. He has no other officers and poses as Jussi Mäkinen, a shop owner in Turku.
The KGB’s Moscow station intends to officially appoint a new leader to the Nordic countries. His task is to rebuild the KGB’s network of operatives and also return all Soviet units under the supervision of the KGB. He/she should be appointed during 2001.

[Targan]

Originally Posted by John Farson

The entire royal family was killed in the bombing of Copenhagen, which is why Denmark is now effectively a republic led by a few ministers.

Would that make the descendants of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, the most legitimate claiments to the Danish throne? I know that Prince Philip gave up his Danish titles when he married Princess Elizabeth but hey, blood is blood right?

[John Farson]

Originally Posted by Targan

Would that make the descendants of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, the most legitimate claiments to the Danish throne? I know that Prince Philip gave up his Danish titles when he married Princess Elizabeth but hey, blood is blood right?

I suppose, the book doesn't go into that. The guys who wrote it probably didn't even know about that detail.

And I'm sure everyone knows this but the names of the various politicians were just made up by the writers. They can be easily substituted with real life politicians from the early and mid 90s.