Semi Public Caches

[kato13]

I am redoing my project from the top down and I will be throwing outsome ideas that I have for comments.

The first one I was thinking of is what I like to call a "semi-public" cache.

The Council of Tomorrow while primarily being industrialists have also moved into the retail sector. The ownership by the CoT of "big box" stores and perhaps gasoline stations is seen as part of vertical integration and a good way to keep down costs for parts of their corporations. In actuality the locations are used as a cover up for project caches.

The council, realizing that there would be massive causalities during the project sleep phase, wanted to minimally support survivors during this time. Waking up and finding entire regions fully depopulated was a genuine fear. Even minor support during the early phases might make all the difference in those first hard years.

Caches of non-hybrid grain, fertilizer, medical supplies and vaccines were placed in massive steel tanks under a 6 inch concrete slab at the retail locations. Cover for the big box stores was that the buried tanks were part of a sewage pre-processing system. The gas stations had an obvious reason for buried tanks so they were not questioned.

The locations were chosen ostensibly in relatively remote locations, at least 30 miles from major cities, for economic reasons as land values were quite low in these locations. In actuality there was a hope withing the project that these stores might increase movement out of city centers into ring suburbs and actually reverse some of the population declines in very rural areas.

It was expected that short wave radio discussions initiated by a remote base would start rumors of supplies buried at every one of the specific retailers. The 6 inches of concrete and the size of the caches would hopefully limit their recovery to at least semi-organized groups, who would make the best use of the materials.

Everything that was buried in the caches was to support life. No weapons were added. The grain was by far the largest component of the caches. It was soaked in a stabilized fertilizer mixture to discourage those recovering it from eating it. Antibiotics, bulk vaccine systems, vegetable/fruit seed kits, fertilizer, water purification systems, and instruction manuals were also included. If the caches were not recovered by the local populace they could be used in the project's general recovery phase.

The greatest negative to such caches are obviously security. The retail operations must be sufficiently removed from other project businesses as to not compromise other hidden project elements. Also
operational care should be taken when visiting any said caches post wake-up as any hostile forces would be aware of both its value and its location.

I have placed the locations I have chosen for such caches on my gaming site maps. http://games.juhlin.com, under the maps section.



Each one is a Finmart (named after a CoT member) store based on an actual Walmart store location. I only chose stores that would be more than 30 miles from a nuclear target.

The caches are the size of 2 ISO 40' shipping containers and are stored under a concrete slab upon which a massive propane storage tank sits. I am still working on the details of the caches but in general they will match the descriptions above.

[mikeo80]

I have often thought that TMP cache locations would be A) dispersed to prevent destruction in WWIII and B) located in somewhat obvious areas.

Why?

TMP is scheduled to come on line 3 - 5 years after The Day. The major die off of population has occurred. Whatever government above a local one has disintegrated. Now it is time to start re-building. Less population to serve. Fewer "do-gooders" or inspectors or other Government types to interfere with TMP actions. What better way to accomplish this than having a mini Wal-Mart in place. Food, seed, tools, books, medical supplies, etc. Building in geographic areas that allow basements gives CoT a lot of flexibility in locations. (Here in Fayetteville, NC, basements are few and far between due to soil conditions.)

Also having somewhat central locations, whatever transportation facilities that survived would be available and they are some what near by. Easier for what ever transport you are using as TMP can access the most area as quickly as possible.

I Have always thought that one of the best things to include in a TMP "Wal-Mart" was as many 2 1/2 ton trucks as you can get your hands on. Runs on pretty much ANY fuel. Good cross country ability. It can carry a top mounted machine gun up to 50 caliber. If someone can drive a semi, you can drive a 2 1/2 ton. (Plenty of drivers you can enlist to help)

I have usually run the team vehicles with the fusion packs, but 2 1/2's and other cargo vehicles run on ANYTHING. One idea I have had is the inclusion of stills to help produce methanol. I know we beat this idea to death in the T2K arena. The idea of a "super yeast" that is more efficient in breaking down cellulose has a lot of appeal. Yes, it is a "hand wave" solution to the fuel problems.

I am actively trying to design a scenario around these ideas. My time frame is still up in the air. Original 1980's? 2020's? Later? Prime Base? Tech levels are still forming. I can see NO fusion packs, no U.A., no HAMM suits, no MARS One, or Science One. I would include the massive improvement in computers and communication abilities that happened from the 1980's until 2017.

Another place we have discussed is the inclusion of cache in the building of overpasses on highways. So the foundation of THAT bridge is a little deeper than usual. Who would notice? Would they care? The foundations of modern bridges are some of the most enduring using modern tech.

Time to get off of the soap box.

My $0.02

Mike