CONUS Factions

[Mahatatain]

I think that there are some very good points in this thread.

Originally Posted by castlebravo92

And now you have 15,000 of starving enemy inside the wire, and who knows how many thousands of starving Americans outside the wire. And it's just you and 80 soldiers and their families. With not enough food, not enough fuel, and not enough ammo.

Building on this point, if you have some strong leaders amongst those 15k EPW then saying in your campaign set up that they overpowered and disarmed their guards is quite feasible. They could then easily split into several factions, for example, one that wants to build its sphere of influence in the local area, one that wants to head back to Europe and is therefore working its way eastwards in the vain attempt to find a port with a working ship, and one that has simply turned to banditry.

Certainly very interesting for some factions in a campaign.

[castlebravo92]

Originally Posted by Mahatatain

I think that there are some very good points in this thread.


Building on this point, if you have some strong leaders amongst those 15k EPW then saying in your campaign set up that they overpowered and disarmed their guards is quite feasible. They could then easily split into several factions, for example, one that wants to build its sphere of influence in the local area, one that wants to head back to Europe and is therefore working its way eastwards in the vain attempt to find a port with a working ship, and one that has simply turned to banditry.

Certainly very interesting for some factions in a campaign.

I think there would be some successful camp rebellions (which in turn, might lead to massacres of other camp POW populations).

POW camps in Texas and the Southwest might be "liberated" by invading Mexican forces in the June-September 1998 timeframe (then again, a lot of the POWs might have died by then).

I think, in other scenarios, the camp garrisons would just evaporate and desert and the POWs would be able to simply walk away.

But by June of 2000, I doubt there would be many / any intact and operating POW camps in CONUS. Food would be too scarce to bother taking prisoners and taking care of them afterwards (unless the "government" has specific labor needs that can't be filled by native born refugees / Elsies / drafted laborers).

But I do think Stranger in a Strangeland is a great party / scenario idea, and could explain why MilGov is sending the players to Johnson City, KS to deal with a group of Russian marauders that have taken over the town and are terrorizing the country side.

[Homer]

The Mexican invasion would be interesting for POWs/EPWs. Besides anyone who may be liberated outright, rumors of the invasion would doubtless get around the prison camps and embolden would be escapees or resisters. The goal of getting back to friendly lines may seem much more achievable without an ocean in between. Maybe these rumors are the catalyst for an armed uprising or mass breakout attempt.

One thing not addressed is the issue of nationality. Soviet POWs from some of the republics may find it harder to blend/disappear in the US, but there are significant Polish, Czech, Italian, and other groups spread throughout the US. It’s not too much of a stretch to see numbers of escaped POWs finding sanctuary ethnically similar populations in the US, especially as the war degenerates following TDM and a strong back and able body becomes more important for survival. There is/was a relatively large Italian population in Pine Bluff, AR for example, and Italian POWs held for labor in the Arkansas River delta could conceivably find refuge there.

By 2000, I’m wondering if POWs will be taken at all. Some groups may subscribe to an idea of shooting out of hand or keeping prisoners as slaves, but I’m betting this is only in the case of extreme hatred, criminal reputation, or a particularly bloodthirsty group. Others may be disarmed and dispersed or pointed in a direction and told to walk. In some circumstances defeated enemies may be offered the chance to “enlist” in the other army.