Atlantis Project in the UK: background planning

[Matt W]

The Atlantis Project does not have the same objectives as the Morrow project. According to that infamous implication in the "Prime Base" module, it is going to wait 150 years - giving America time to rebuild - and then emerge to see what the rest of the world has managed to reconstruct.

Let's look at what might be involved in the background planning for the AP in the United Kingdom

The major cause for pessimism with regard to the UK is that the country is so densely populated. (real-world illustrations: In the UK it is IMPOSSIBLE to find a location where one cannot hear a man-made noise. There are no "isolated small towns" where one cannot WALK to the next town in a single day).

Above all, there isn't enough space to grow food for the current population (over 60 million) and Atlantis planners estimate that, without modern farming techniques and technology, the non-contaminated areas of arable land could only support about 20 per cent of the population .

The planners assume a likely number of survivors in the "5-year after period" would be somewhere around 5 million. Most people will be too busy with subsistence agriculture to pass on skills such as literacy. Further population drop (due to conflict and disease) is likely.

So what is needed by AP personnel? Let's look at contrasts between AP and MP equipment and gear

Branches: Instead of Mars, Recon, and Science, the AP has "Shield". "Network" and "Infrastructure" Teams http://morrow-industries.com/morrow-project-blog/?p=554


Vehicles: Rugged, off-road vehicles will be useful but roads - of some sort - should still be in existence (the Roman roads have lasted 16 centuries, it would be disappointing if Motorways couldn't last for a couple). Therefore, AP planners are not entirely convinced that complete off-road/amphibious capability is necessary for all vehicles.

The most common vehicle is the Mercedes Unimog (which is modified to add armour). Additional capability is added by the use of custom trailers, which might mount anything from a scientific/medical lab to a machine shop, or even just carry a few ATVs

For extra-heavy work, there are a number of "Atlantis-One" vehicles that follow the Science-One concept - but use different rear sections depending on their Branch

Each Team is usually assigned a medium truck Unimog (or two). They also have at least one light vehicle such as a motorbike or ATV - for scouting/communication

Shield Teams are air-mobile; they are assigned STOL aircraft such as the Britten-Norman Trislander and helicopters such as the MD500


Weaponry: something I'll get to later

[LBraden]

To be perfectly honest, as much as I like the idea of the Unimog, I would suggest the Land Rover, hell I have seen some that are going on 60 now in parts of Africa and have not had any maintenance, and with the simple effing design of them, the team could easily find spare parts almost everywhere (except London, which may just still be radioactive slag).

As for the Atlantis 1 vehicle, what about looking up a few of the snowcats and similar vehicles, I think that there was one designed that is about as big as Sci-One.

[natehale1971]

The Land Rover is a damn good vehicle, the Queen has one that she has driven her entire life... and from what i've heard she hasn't traded up for newer models either. The Land Rover would have been in my opinion a better choice over the XR-311 that the cannon TMP used. Even a better choice than the Hum-Vee for that matter.

A fusion powered Land Rover (or electrical battery with solar panels) would be something that would be excellent long-term vehicles.

[Matt W]

The Land Rover is - undeniably - a great vehicle. However, I liked the Unimog capabilities

"Unimogs can be equipped with front and rear tool mounting brackets and hydraulic connections to allow bucket loaders and hydraulic arms to be used. Most units have a power takeoff (PTO) connection to operate rotary equipment such as snow brooms, snow blowers, brush mowers, or stationary conveyor belts."

"They can be equipped with a backhoe, front loader, or other contracting equipment. On railroads, Unimogs are used as rail car movers and road-rail vehicles. "

(Both quotes from Wikipedia)

I also like the Unimog's carrying/towing capacity (both higher than the Land Rover) although I might go for the Mercedes G-Wagen as an equivalent to the XR-311



Also, please note, that the AP planners don't expect to find spares for any vehicle. The Atlantis Project was set up for the "wake up after 150-years" scenario

[helbent4]

Matt,

I don't see there as being any need to put off reconstructing the UK for 150 bloody years! By then, what infrastructure that makes it a valuable asset for reconstruction in the first place would be long gone. It makes no sense to leave the UK fallow for so long until the Atlantis Project (AP) is activated.

Instead, it makes more sense for it to be in the "first wave" of the Morrow Project (MP), not the "rest of the world" AP.

The USA/Canada, UK, Australia and New Zealand would make up the MP. Between them are incredible industrial resources, educated populations, and enormous mineral and petroleum resources. Plus, the "ABCA" (Australia/NZ, Britain, Canada, America) comprise a strong traditional mutually-supporting alliance. Further, the UK would be a natural jumping-off point into Europe while Australia/NZ would be the gateway to Asia.

That said, I also like the Land Rover and the incredibly versatile Unimog. In my own game, the Mercedes Unimog and Land Rover are Morrow Project Canada vehicles.

Tony

[Matt W]

This is the "infamous implication" that I referenced earlier

Quote from "Prime Base" Module (page 49)

"Personnel of the Atlantis Project knew of their Morrow Project counterparts but the converse was not true. Atlantis was not supposed to come on line until 100-150 years or so had passed (just about now in game terms). At that time, cadre Teams of the Atlantis Project would be activated by their own recall and retrieval systems and begin moving out and carrying the Mission (rebuild and succor) to the rest of the world."

"But all of this was based on the notion that the Morrow Project would have been operational in North America for about one hundred years."

(my italics added for emphasis)

I interpret this as follows:

1. The Morrow Project is tasked with rebuilding North America. I can't find anything in canon to suggest that it intends to operate outside North America. If there were partner locations, then IMHO, SOUTH America and the Caribbean would be those partner locations
2. The Atlantis Project is tasked with rebuilding everywhere else (including UK). But this is AFTER the MP has completed a century of work in North America


I'm trying to work out what the AP teams would look like - and how they might be made fun to play.

The AP Teams have the advantage that they have "their own recall and retrieval system". Therefore, they are likely to wake up AS AN ENTIRE PROJECT. Also, they are EXPECTING to find themselves in a time when Civilization ended decades ago. They should be prepared mentally and equipped accordingly.

OTOH, they have the disadvantage that they are expecting support and recruits from a rebuilt North America. They probably don't have a Frozen Watch system and their Supply Bases are smaller than the Morrow Project's

[helbent4]

Originally Posted by Matt W

This is the "infamous implication" that I referenced earlier

Quote from "Prime Base" Module (page 49)

"Personnel of the Atlantis Project knew of their Morrow Project counterparts but the converse was not true. Atlantis was not supposed to come on line until 100-150 years or so had passed (just about now in game terms). At that time, cadre Teams of the Atlantis Project would be activated by their own recall and retrieval systems and begin moving out and carrying the Mission (rebuild and succor) to the rest of the world."

"But all of this was based on the notion that the Morrow Project would have been operational in North America for about one hundred years."

Matt,

Sure, there's no canon reference to anything other than the USA for the Morrow Project, and without anything specific one way or another it's open to interpretation. Logic dictates that a place like the UK would be an invaluable stepping-stone into Europe and in a position to support the AP, but it cannot do this if it's 100 years after the war.

The Caribbean would be completely worthless in almost every way and the South (and Central) American nations don't add anything to the Project that isn't already in North America and aside from the distances involved, civil order is somewhat tenuous there in many areas even now, before WWIII.

Further, as you can appreciate, the emotional and economic ties between the USA and other prospective MP countries like Canada, the UK and Australia/NZ can't be discounted. There does not seem to be any creditable reason to let these most crucial allies lay in ruins for a century or more.

Tony

[natehale1971]

Originally Posted by helbent4

Matt,

Sure, there's no canon reference to anything other than the USA for the Morrow Project, and without anything specific one way or another it's open to interpretation. Logic dictates that a place like the UK would be an invaluable stepping-stone into Europe and in a position to support the AP, but it cannot do this if it's 100 years after the war.

The Caribbean would be completely worthless in almost every way and the South (and Central) American nations don't add anything to the Project that isn't already in North America and aside from the distances involved, civil order is somewhat tenuous there in many areas even now, before WWIII.

Further, as you can appreciate, the emotional and economic ties between the USA and other prospective MP countries like Canada, the UK and Australia/NZ can't be discounted. There does not seem to be any creditable reason to let these most crucial allies lay in ruins for a century or more.

Tony

I agree with Tony on this... The UK could easily be included with the Project due to these traditional ties. And the British Isles have historicially been used as a 'stepping stone' for going into Europe. Both WW1 and WW2 we did that, and the plans for war with the Soviet Union had us using the UK as a staging point to go into Europe. Thus the reason why they'd have been pounded by nukes.

TMP assets in the British Isles would definitely be at least 2 COGs (one for Great Britain and one for Ireland). Or even three (Scotland, England and Ireland).

And the assets in the British Isles could/should have slept for up to 10 to 30 years after whatever TEOTWAWKI Event happened... Thus using assets andn support from North America.

All the open spaces in Canada (for the Morrow Project) and Australia (for the Atlantis Project) would be perfect for underground/hidden factories and storage depots.

I've thought of underwater bases/assets... there was a movie that was made a long time ago that i remembered seeing were an espionage team was based out of what looked like a q-hut underwater that was used.

hell, there was a movie that looked alot like TMP (right down to the flightsuit coveralls) where a group of scientists and janitor/maintenance man had to deal with mutants killing them when they went out after a nuclear war. The maintenance man had used a cross bow.

[Matt W]

Hey. You've got better ideas on how to run the Project than the.. er... "eccentric" people who set up Prime Base (at least as described in the module).

However, the canon set-up of the Atlantis Project is clear. It is NOT the Anglosphere; it's everything outside North America. That's what I'm going to work from

[helbent4]

Originally Posted by Matt W

Hey. You've got better ideas on how to run the Project than the.. er... "eccentric" people who set up Prime Base (at least as described in the module).

However, the canon set-up of the Atlantis Project is clear. It is NOT the Anglosphere; it's everything outside North America. That's what I'm going to work from

Matt,

I guess you have to remove all your material for the Amerind Empire from your blog, because that's not mentioned in canon either?

Man, that really sucks! I was going to use some of that information too, for my own game. I better get moving and copy it before it all goes away because it's not in canon.

Obviously, I'm being facetious and Amerind Empire is mentioned in PB, although no specifics are given. In the same vein I could further point out that the hypothetical AP will not be armed or have vehicles because none are mentioned in canon, either, but I think you get my drift.

Tony