Fallout Yurop - Berlin
Years ago, around the time just before Van Buren was made public an East European team was working on a very near Fallout 2 Total Conversion called Fallout Yurop.
Next to Fallout 3/Van Buren itself this seemed one of the most exciting projects around at the time and I like many others was really looking forwards to it.
Unfortunate there must have been some problems with the project as things were delayed, the forum was hacked and eventually the project died down.
I have been keeping in contact with the head developer of the project, Jiří 'Shigor Birdman' Matyskiewicz, in the hope to learn some more about the project and what his team's intentions would have been.
From what I understand Shigor might still bring the game out one day but as a stand alone project called Fallen Yurop, which has no connect to the Fallout universe.
I can understand his reasoning, especially now that Bethesda owns the franchise and that he wants to develop the ideas into its own freeware or commercial products but I still would have found it awesome if it had been a Fallout project in Europe as we know so little about how the world is like there.
Some of the ideas I have used in this idea are what I know from Fallout Yurop and it is not my intention to steal them or claim them to be my own whatsoever, I just do not want to let these ideas die as I think they are really good.
“Black Fist” is sort of a filler name for that organization as it sounds way to much like 'Black Hand' from Fallout Between Good and Evil, and like with Shigor I do not mean to steal these fine folks good idea, I just needed a name for the moment.
I haven't thought of names yet for other groups, factions or organizations or very detailed ones, but not that that is so important, this is just to give an impression what my take on this idea would have been like, and no so much the details and backgrounds.
It would be extremely cool if this could ever been made for real but I hugely doubt that.
This concept takes place in the Fallout universe but in what once was the European Commonwealth, there are some major differences regarding technology, creatures and lore between Europe and the United States, with some thing being absent and replaced with other ideas instead.
-There is no FEV in Europe, so no Super Mutants and FEV created mutants. However the former members of the European Commonwealth were working on their own bioweapons before the War and a lot managed to escape, finding a niche in the world in which they could thrive and multiply.
-There are radiation based mutants, based on science! such as Ghouls, giant insects and arachnids such as Giant Spiders.
Some mammals have also undergone strange changes because of the radiation and the toxins.
-There is no or barely any Power Armor, its not known of the EC had its own Power Armor project but as they were already at war long before the Great War amongst themselves probably not much came of it.
Perhaps some suits were purchased or sent to American bases in Europe but the idea is that its perhaps completely absent, being replaced in game with the unique NBC 'Environment Armor' and implants.
-There are no Vaults. Perhaps some government bunkers, shelters built by companies for themselves and private made shelters but no Vaults.
Also, no Vault experiments took place in Europe.
Rather than having this in mind as a full classic Fallout 1/2 campaign, I would consider my idea more of a spin off similar to FNV, dealing with one large settlement and surrounding settlements rather than the entire former country or state.
As the name implies, Fallout Yurop - Berlin takes place in the ruins of Berlin, and in the region around it which can include settlements and other places of interest.
Timeline
1940 - 1950
The Second World War is won by the Allies; UK, France, Australia, Canada, United States, and the CCCP. (and probably others I forgot to mention)
Europe is divided in two sides and two ideologies; most of Eastern Europe come under control of communist regimes supported by the CCCP, Germany is divided amongst the Allies with Eastern Germany including Eastern part of Berlin under CCCP/DDR rule.
A Cold War starts between East and West.
Heckler and Koch is established in an old Mauser factory, at first only producing machine parts for house hold machines and bicycles but eventually manufactures weapons for the Bundeswehr.
The foundations of what one day will be the European Commonwealth start to take shape.
NATO is established by the Western allies as a united block against the CCCP and her allies.
1950 - 1960
Eastern communist countries and the CCCP form the Warschau pact as a counterpart to NATO
The Glock company is founded by Gaston Glock, originally only manufacturing curtain railing until they expanded into the weapons industry and started manufacturing weapons for the Austrian army.
195?
The European Commonwealth is formed between most countries of West Europe in order to promote political cooperation and free trade amongst its members.
Some countries like the UK, France and Germany start to work together on military projects.
1980 - 1990
Due to decades of large expenditure on the arms race and other military and political oriented expenditures the CCCP is nearly driven bankrupt.
It can no longer support its communist allies or maintain full control of its own territory, the government is so much in debt that government workers and military personnel go unpaid.
Without support of the CCCP and its own economy in ruins the DDR opens its borders and eventually dissolves.
The CCCP can do nothing but watch from the sideline.
1990 - 2000
The economic collapse of the CCCP continues and the communist regimes in countries like Poland collapse, more democratic governments take their place and they start making approaches to the West.
Despite an attempt by left wing supporters to replace the government the communists prevail and remain in control.
However in order to remain in control they are forced to reduce their costs in order to save what is left of their economy, severally reducing departments such as the military.
The citizens of countries that were once CCCP allies sense their chance and start to demonstrate and revolt.
Even parts of Russia itself demand the right to secede and administrate themselves.
The Kremlin makes it clear that such actions will lead to war, a threat they can not fully back up.
The European Commonwealth expands with new members and most of its citizens enjoy a high standard of living, consuming resources in large quantities.
University scientists start warning for the eventual depletion of natural resources such as petroleum and that there should be more research into alternatives or new sources in the solar system.
As Chinese communists loosen their grip on the economic sector somewhat its economy starts to bloom as foreign investors start to invest in manufacturing and assembly factories, hiring low wage Chinese workers
2000 - 2010
By now the Warschau pact has completely crumbled and several countries and even parts of the CCCP have gone on their own, several of them have even opened diplomatic contact with the West, much to the anger of Moscow.
The army is deployed, but with so many fronts the CCCP is unable to retake even parts of former territory, a period of tensions and brush wars follow.
Scientists in France and Japan start working together on developing practical fusion power.
Unknown to them agents from the US have infiltrated the research group and relay any discoveries and findings back to corporations like Poseidon Energy.
The economy in China continues to improve and the Chinese government uses the extra money to invest into regions around the world in which they have interests.
Technology they are not able to acquire through legal means are gained through use of undercover agents and the international black market.
The European and United States space agencies put a space station in orbit.
China puts its first astronaut in orbit.
2010 - 2020
China replaces the CCCP as the most powerful communist state in the world.
With their campaigns to retake lost territory a failure and their economy in shambles the Soviet Communists can not do more than threaten those provinces that wish to leave.
Unable to exploit their own resources any more the CCCP is forced to increase its negotiations and contracts with foreign investors and corporations for such basic necessities such as food and electrical production.
2020 - 2030
Heckler and Koch starts research into energy weapons after United States weapon engineers produce the first fully usable laser weapons.
One of the results is the Gatling laser.
Glock starts development of the Gauss rifle and Gauss gun, seeking to overtake their competitors; Heckler and Koch's weapon designs, they later reveal the Glock plasma gun and the rare Gatling Gauss.
These weapons are used by armies within the Commonwealth and a large number of them are also exported to other countries such as the United States.
The European Commonwealth becomes increasingly dependent on petroleum from the Middle East, consuming thousands of barrels a day for production and fuel.
As the oil wells start running out the prices increase, with the result that necessities like food become more expensive for the regular people.
Robot drones from the US, European Commonwealth and China are sent to the moon and other rocky planetary bodies in the solar system to look for new resources.
European astronauts set foot on the moon.
The first modules for a colony are placed, starting a dispute with the US who claims prior ownership of the region.
2030 - 2040
The CCCP accuses the European Commonwealth of selling weapons and munition to renegade states provinces in return of access to their natural resources such as gas and petroleum.
The Commonwealth denies these accusations, trying to hide the truth from the general public.
With its increasing populations the Commonwealth is becoming more and more dependent on resources from other countries and seeks alternatives to the emirates of the Middle East that are draining the EC members economically dry.
The discussion starts again to remove the preservation status of the Arctic and the Antarctic so that the resources under them can be exploited.
A Chinese astronaut sets foot on the moon, creating a new ‘red scare’ for the communist conquest of space, both the US and European Commonwealth assure their citizens that they will have control of the moon and the rest of the solar system before China does.
Funding of the USSA, the American space agency is increased and work is started on the first manned mission to Mars.
2040 - 2050
China needs more resources for its growing industry and population and takes control of Eastern parts of the CCCP which has become increasingly dependent on them, an ironic twist on the dependence of China on the CCCP back in the 20th century.
European universities start working together to work on Artificial Intelligence in order to compete with their US counterparts and corporations.
After a journey of six months American astronauts set foot on Mars, the United States promptly claims ownership of the Red Planet, replacing the short public excitement and relief with tension with Europe and the People’s Republic of China who respond that the planets of the solar system belong to everyone.
2050 - 2060
After oil prices have reached an all time high and European economy and society starts to suffer from the shortage the European Commonwealth takes armed action against the Middle East, sending in armed forces to take control of the oil fields.
During this conflict both sides starts using biological and chemical weapons, despite their claim of only targeting military installations and fortifications many civilians are killed or affected by the weapons.
The European Commonwealth’s armed forces are in need of a new type of combat uniform that can protect soldiers and officers against the use of NBC weapons and allows them to remain effective in the field.
European scientists and engineers create the ‘environment armor’, an armor that provides the requested protection and improves the wearer’s effectiveness with various built-in features.
The suit is designed to look intimidating for the purpose of psychological warfare.
While the concept of Power Armor is known to European engineers, they have not been able to manufacture a practical suit, instead scientists seek to develop implants that can boost a person’s capabilities
2054 - A limited nuclear exchange takes place in the Middle East, increasing the fear of a worldwide nuclear war.
After the nuclear attack Environment Armor wearing soldiers quickly move in to secure sites.
Some members of the Commonwealth start investigating the state of their Cold War nuclear shelters or build complete new ones.
Large civilian shelters are established under large cities such as Berlin by digging large underground chambers or reinforcing the metro network (make no mistake, these shelters are not Vaults, or as effective).
Some of the more rich countries like the UK and Germany establish bunker complexes for their governments and other personnel considered important or necessary.
Production puts a heavy strain on the economy and a lot of these projects are simply not finished.
Heckler and Koch and their investors invest into the construction of a private bunker complex for themselves and their families, unknown to most the heads of the company plan to fill up the complex with the necessities to restart the company after a nuclear war, dedicating only a small portion to habitation, mainly themselves.
2057 - In the United Kingdom several cases of the New Plague of 'Blue Flu' break out in Essex and Kent.
The citizens of Greater London fear its only a matter of days until the New Plague reaches the region, city dwellers try to flee into the countryside, blocking up the roads and highways.
Only the petroleum companies profit of the situation due to the high cost of gasoline.
Quarantine barriers and stations are set up to contain the spread of the virus but appears to be already to late as several days later there are also reports of New Plague cases in France, suspected caused by British refugees who used the Channel Tunnel to reach the European mainland.
The Channel Tunnel is locked down to due quarantine reasons, and ship and plane travel between the UK and the European mainland is strictly monitored.
Unknown to the general public the release of the New Plague is the result of a botched transfer operation between the United States and United Kingdom government agencies.
ATLANTIS, the result of almost a decade of computer and artificial intelligence research, is created.
It is first used for primarily scientific and educative purposes, its memory banks expanded with large quantities of information on pretty much every subject, but is soon bought by NATO to be used for military campaign planning and the coordination of communication between bases.
The European Commonwealth cancels its space program, only a handful of corporations and private investors continue.
Space now belongs to the United States and China.
A group of scientists and private investors set up a company named Copernicus, after the Polish mathematician, physician, juror, lawyer, and astronomer (filler name) specialized in space travel, the company's goal is to design and construct an interstellar capable spacecraft.
2060 - 2077
The Euro-Middle Eastern War ends as the oil fields in the Middle East run dry... there is no longer a goal in the conflict, and both sides are reduced almost to ruin.
The European Commonwealth dissolves into quarreling nation states, fighting over the remaining resources.
Germany takes control of all former NATO and Commonwealth bases in the country, including the bunker in which ATLANTIS is installed.
Those nations that are still capable engage in the development of new weapons including bioweapons.
The British Government orders the destruction of the entrance to their side of the Channel Tunnel while the French Government orders the same to their side.
Neither government wants the other side to make use of the tunnel to transport troops and material and attack each other.
The destruction of the entrances make the Channel Tunnel structural weak and the remainder of the tunnel collapses after only a few years.
After being connected to the European mainland for a few decades, the British Isles are separate once again.
The British Royal Family considers fleeing to Australia as their safety can no longer be fully assured in the United Kingdom and the United States unwilling to intervene in what they consider to be an 'European internal matter'.
The research and development team of Copernicus make an incredible technological development for their work on their starship.
The German government is interested and buys the patent to this technology.
The American government also learns of this technological development, they invite the scientists to come to America to continue their work but the team refuses to hand over their hard earned work.
The US government starts seeking alternatives to get their hands on this technological marvel Copernicus possesses.
2077 - 23 October
The nuclear War between the United States and the People's Republic of China finally happens.
No one knows who started the War first but after two hours no one cares anymore.
When the warnings came in that a nuclear war between China and the United States could break out within several days, what was left of the German government and had not fled to neutral countries went underground in the bunkers they had prepared decades ago for themselves.
Politicians, scientists and military personnel enjoy better and luxurious protection than those who took shelter in the public fallout shelters that were constructed under some of the major cities.
The German government plans to emerge once the radiation levels have lowered to human tolerable levels again and re unite the country under their rule, thinking that they will be greeted as the saviors of the survivors.
The heat released by the warheads sets the Grunewald on fire, the forests burn uncontrolled for months until the fires start to set down.
Nearby survivors start to call the former forest lands the Ashlands.
2077 - 2080
Overcrowded by more people than it originally could handle, the public fallout shelter under Berlin finally fails when food and medicine run out, what follows is anarchy as the strongest individuals and groups compete with each other for what is left.
Groups start to leave for the surface, taking what supplies and personal possessions they have with them.
Amongst them is a group led by Ernest Schneider who seeks to lead his group to safety at the former ######.
In what was once Poland, a predominantly Christian religious country, various often self proclaimed religious leaders starts to spread a message of religious unity and and a stance of anti technology amongst the various survivors.
The desperate, hopeless and divided Polish survivors seek any kind of solace and leadership to hold on to and eagerly embrace the idea that it was technology and science and the abandonment of God that has led the world to destruction.
A small Luddite cult starts to form that travel from settlement to settlement to bring their message, their members and those willing to listen to them are sometimes severally violent against surviving scientists and people with technical skills who are demonized by the new faith.
Starving and desperate British survivors besiege the government bunker where the Royal family has taken shelter during the world wide nuclear shelter.
When the survivors refuse to back off when soldiers order them to do so, they open fire on the crowds
But for every survivor is gunned down three take their place and the soldiers are unable to defend the bunker.
The survivors force their way into the bunker and kill and tear apart anyone who stands in their way as they look for food, water, and medicine.
Eventually the survivors find the British Royal Family that is hiding on one of the lower levels of the bunker.
Despite an attempt by the Prince of Wales to make the hungry and sick survivors listen to reason they attack the Royal Family in frenzy and the House of Windsor comes to a bloody end.
Roy Hanglan manages to cross the English channel with a boat he managed to fix up, wanting to escape the anarchy that holds the remnants of the British Isles in its grasp.
2080 - 2090
ATLANTIS ‘awakens’ from its protective shutdown and start to survey its surroundings and the state the world is now in.
Several of the robot drones it was tied into before the War have survived the passage of time and the scavengers that have been looting the ruins of pre settlements and bases.
After clearing out the direct area of rubble and hostile wildlife ATLANTIS sets up a defensive perimeter through the facility in which it is installed but it does not expand outwards as it does not want to deter human wanderers who might come across the bunker.
Monitor drones are sent out and relay much information back to ATLANTIS including any discovered human populations such as settlements and wandering groups.
ATLANTIS concludes that humanity is rapidly loosing its Pre War knowledge and barely knows how to survive at all in this new environment, living of what left overs of the old world it can find.
The Artificial Intelligence starts to run simulations on what the likely chances are of humanity's survival and its own on the long term.
Even with all its robots ATLANTIS would be unable to take on the significant human numbers, furthermore it does not want to eliminate the survivors as its simulations show that working together with humans would increase the survival and possibility of progress chance percentage significantly.
What the remnants of humanity needs is a strong and brilliant leader who is not limited by human weaknesses and nature and capable of leading them back to the path of scientific accomplishment and progress which allow them to both survive and one day rebuild the world.
Hundreds of records written on how to survive such as cleaning water and food such or how to proper medical method are still stored within ATLANTIS' memory banks and this would be a powerful bargaining chip with the survivors.
Remote drones are instructed to make contact with groups of wandering survivors.
Most people fear the drones, fleeing from them or attacking them when both encounter each other, but other groups and individuals start to listen to what ATLANTIS has to tell, often people who came from an educated background.
Over the months ATLANTIS teaches them how to clean water, what food is still edible and which plants are, basic agriculture, how to diagnose diseases, sterilize wounds, set bones, create medicine from available material or properly used scavenged medicine.
People start to see ATLANTIS as a guide, a teacher or an oracle and grow more dependent on its advice, in time the computer becomes their leader and it guides those it calculates to be the most trustworthy back to its home base.
When ATLANTIS reveals itself to them and its true nature some are disturbed by this but others who have perhaps become tired of the follies and weaknesses of human leaders or simply want a way out of this chaos accept the fact and embrace the fact that ATLANTIS is now their leader and that its vision is theirs.
Using surviving VR chambers ATLANTIS starts to teach these people the basics about engineering, electronics, machine maintenance and repair, and other subjects, forming the basis of its followers.
When fully trained the first followers divide in two groups, one remains in the bunker and helps clean up the facility and repair the equipment including additional VR chambers for future students, while others go out and seek new people to join the followers, using the skills and knowledge they have been taught on how to survive to bargain with as well as small supplies of medicines or tools.
As the number of followers increase so does the specialization of the various individuals, having a number of technicians, engineers and doctors ATLANTIS starts to educate members to become scholars and scientists to assist it with its research and to send out on field assignments to Pre war educational, industrial, government and military sites to look for more things ATLANTIS and the followers can use.
But ATLANTIS knows the risks it followers will be taking outside and it does not have enough robots to protect both its base and holding and those it sends out, even with the robots the followers salvage and repair.
As its NATO duties also includes the task of training military personnel, troopers, officers and so on, ATLANTIS selects the most physical and mental suitable and able and starts to teach them the basics and essentials of being a soldier.
It teaches them how to operate in the field, working together, small and large scale tactics, the concept of stealth and camouflage, how to optimally use the environment, unarmed combat, melee combat, and the use of all kinds of weapons, from pistols and grenades, to heavy and energy weapons.
Once trained ATLANTIS opens the storage rooms containing a large supply of Environment Armor suits and its medical specialists start to fit the new troopers with the suit interface implants.
Equipped with state of the art weapons and equipment, and dressed in environment armor not seen since the War the first of ATLANTIS' elite forces appear in the wasteland, searching the remnants for anything that can promote the Followers' goal.
2090 - 2100
After a decade of severe overuse systems in the main government bunker starts to fail and some systems shut down permanently.
In parts where the communication system no longer works children born in the bunker are put to work as couriers.
Sheltered scientists and technical personnel warn their leaders that its only a matter of time until the bunker becomes unlivable and that they are better off taking their chances outside with what they still have.
The politicians refuse, having become to accustomed to the luxuries they still enjoy and the control they have over the population, fearing that going to the surface would take that away from them.
Some of the more outspoken troublemakers are exiled to the surface when they refuse to stay silent, soon after other bunker inhabitants to who the increasing oppressive leadership has become to much also leave.
Eventually a group of raiders starts taking notice of the people leaving the bunker and trace their path back to the source.
Believing the bunker to be full of weapons and supplies, the raiders contact several rivaling gangs and manage to form a temporary alliance with some to invade the bunker together.
Using explosives and slave labor the raiders manage to gain entrance, soldiers inside try to hold the raiders off but in response the raiders send in the surviving slaves to serve as cannon fodder.
When the soldiers run out of ammunition and need to reload the raiders finally enter themselves and slaughter any armed opponent they run into.
Remaining population is killed or enslaved, with the women forced into servitude (and the occasional man or so) to satisfy the whims of the raiders.
The bunker is cleaned out for all it contains and is abandoned.
In the years after the bunker becomes home to wildlife and the occasional group of refugees who know nothing of the previous inhabitants and their plans.
2100 - 2110
The Angels of the Apocalypse 'officially' form from various small anti technology Christian cults.
A pope is elected by Angel bishops who proclaims that the Angels will rebuild the original Papal States and expand upon them to include the entirety of Europe.
They start a brutal campaign of conflict, conquest and conversion in order to reclaim the ruins of Kraków, those outsiders who manage to survive are absorbed into the Angels, often by force.
ATLANTIS starts to send out scouting expeditions into the various wind directions of Germany and neighboring states to look for useful resources, technology and new recruits.
2110 - 2120
The residents of the Heckler and Koch bunker open the doors to the outside.
The inhabitants consist of a few members of the old generation that took shelter in the bunker and their children.
In the Ashlands the Wild Army forms from the descendants of survivors that fled there to take shelter when the War took place.
2120 - 2130
2130 - 2140
2140 - 2150
The Followers of the ATLANTIS and Angels of the Apocalypse forces clash at Warsaw.
The Angels outnumber the Followers but the Followers have brought restored artillery along with their expedition.
The following battles consist of fire fights in the streets and buildings of Warsaw between both groups, and the shelling of Warsaw by the Followers in order to drive the Angels out.
In the end neither side is victorious and the Followers and Angels are forced to retreat, leaving an already divided Warsaw in greater ruins behind than before their arrival.
Warsaw is one of the few places where both the Angels and the Followers are hated.
2150 – 2160
2167 - Fallout Yurop Berlin starts.
The Followers of the Atlantis
An organization founded and led by the supercomputer ATLANTIS.
Before the War ATLANTIS was developed as Europe's answer to ZAX, while originally used for scientific and educative purposes ATLANTIS was later purchased by NATO to be used for military operations, system administration and to oversee communications between bases.
After the War ATLANTIS was forgotten but it was not destroyed, through robots and cameras it monitored the ruins and wastes of Europe and the various survivors who had managed to survive the European War and the nuclear War between the United States and China.
ATLANTIS started to run simulations on the situation of the continent and the Dark Age in which mankind found itself, and determined that mankind might possibly never recover from it on its own, eventually loosing all remnants of its scientific and technological progress.
ATLANTIS decided to take an active role in rebuilding civilization, it would unite and educate under its leadership, gather the resources and means to shorten the current Dark Age and lead its followers into a new golden age in which they could develop and use technology without superstition and fear from outsiders.
At first ATLANTIS started simple, making contact with isolated groups of outsiders and teaching them how to clean water, what food was edible and how to prepare it, and proper use of medicine and medical method.
When it had gathered enough followers it started to teach them more complex subjects, using the VR chambers that were hooked to it and information from its vast archives, making them into scholars, technicians and eventually soldiers.
ATLANTIS knew that it would face enemies to its goals, those who simply targeted it for their own needs and ideological opponents such as the Angels of the Apocalypse who seek to cleanse the land of all advanced technology.
Its followers and robots are send out to gather important resources or information or to secure sites that ATLANTIS considers to be of great importance while at the same time fighting those who would seek to take it away from them or destroy it.
The Followers use a lot of the more advanced remnants in the wasteland, high powered assault rifles, energy weapons, various types of grenades, modern medical technology, and whatever military hardware they can find and repair.
Unique to the Followers is their Environment Armor.
After the limited nuclear war with the Middle East and the use of biological and chemical weapons, the European powers had a great need for combat armor that would protect its wearer from NBC weapons while allowing them to function in the field.
The result is the unique Environment Armor, a high tech isolation suit that is equipped with life support, alternate vision modes, and a full computer and communications suite that monitors the wearer's and outside conditions and maintain contact with fellow soldiers.
The suit also provides physical, kinetic and energy weapon protection.
In order to interface with the suit well the wearer must have an implant placed in the back of their head where the suit interface goes, without it the suit is impossible to wear.
Unlike Power Armor it does not provide increased strength as Europe did not have that technology at the time.
Instead European scientists developed a lot of implant technology that could improve the subject's strength, vision and so on, and the Followers have recovered this technology.
With an Environment Suit and implants a Follower is reasonably on par with a Brotherhood Paladin.
Over time the armors have been customized by technology found by the Followers and individual taste.
The Angels of the Apocalypse
Post Apocalyptic Luddites that originate from the south of Poland.
After the nuclear War had happened the Christian fate in some settlements took a rather fascist and disturbing change, those religious leaders that survived preached that the destruction of the world was the result of man turning away from God, putting his faith in science and technology, and that the European War and the nuclear War was the result of walking this false path.
These religious leaders proclaimed that if man was to return to the grace of God that all remnants of science and its products should be cleansed of the Earth to set mankind back on the right path.
While just contained to small groups at first, these would eventually merge into a monolithic movement that would control large parts of entire former countries, rapidly converting those who had lost hope and sought something to blame for their misery.
Eventually calling themselves the Angels of the Apocalypse the movement decided to expand into the rest of the country, spreading their message and converting people, by force if necessary in order to 'save' their souls.
Wherever the Angels came and their movement took root all technology, broken remnants of repaired machines and devices were destroyed, and those educated in the knowledge in how to use these or repair and manufacture them either had to convert and give up their wicked ways or be put on the stake or crucified.
The Angels see themselves as the deliverers of the word of God and their truth to be unquestionable.
Of course the Angels are not fools, knowing all to well about the dangers of the wasteland and the many groups, factions and organizations that do use technology and science without considering the evil behind it, and their own armed forces use some of the tools of the wicked and heathens, seeing it as a necessary evil they must endure in order spread their message and influence.
The most feared members are the Inquisitors, 'officers' of the Angels' forces who are known for their single minded devotion to the cause, and the 'Crusaders', the Angels elite soldiers who are known for their cruelty.
Often towns that are chosen for conversion get little as a warning beforehand before an Inquisitor and his forces marches into a settlement and proclaims their message and intention.
Angels brutally go to work, search and destroying any device or text about machines and science principles.
Often the ‘worst’ offenders are selected and made an example of for the rest who are then gathered and forced to watch the fate of all blasphemers.
Regarding equipment the Legion uses customized versions of Metal Armor as well as some Combat Armor suits, weapons range from knives, spears, gauntlets, to pistols, rifles, shotguns, assault rifles, various types of grenades and mines, and the occasional flame thrower or bazooka.
They also use some old world remnants like stimpacks, medical supplies, radios, and radiation suits, understanding that these are sometimes necessary.
The System
A communist government from the East.
Despite the War communist ideals and dreams continued to survive in the hearts and minds of some people, what started with small groups of survivors and settlements eventually formed into a government that referred to itself as the System.
No longer the workers' revolution, the System brings the people's revolution, a society in which ordinary citizens are not ruled by warlords or unelected leaders who have taken power by force and use those under their rule for their own betterment.
With knowledge relearned since the War or regained from old records and computers files the System has established an agricultural state that is capable of feeding and supporting itself and shows the early signs of a new industrial recovery.
With this power and resources the System has founded an army for protection of its own settlements as well as expansion outwards, seeking to absorb other territory in their own and liberating the 'oppressed'.
The System has established its own learning and scientific center where scholars are trying to rediscover some of the secrets of the past.
Though the System is in general reasonable well off, being able to feed, protect and educate its own citizens, it also has the same flaws as communist states before it.
The party and the chairman firmly hold on to the power they control, and new members are carefully selected and screened to make sure that they follow the ideas of the current members.
Its secret police is feared by both citizens and outsiders as it does not shun any action to reach its goals.
Its mandatory that all able bodied System citizens serve two years in the military before they can return to the civilian life and take on the role of their own choosing.
The System military is well equipped for an army its size, being made up of several divisions with various specialized departments.
Their troopers and specialists have access to the most general weapons and equipment found in the wasteland but have little exotic or specialized versions.
Disturbingly, much like communist Russia and China the System also maintains work camps where renegade citizens and captured outsiders are put to work while being ‘re educated’.
System leaders call it beneficial growth in a supportive environment but outsiders recognize it for the slavery it really is.
The House of Schneider (work in progress, not completely happy about the name and concept needs more details)
A rather curious throwback to a much earlier age, the House of Schneider is a feudal settlement but contains elements from the modern age as well.
The city is ruled by the Line of Schneider whose ancestor helped found the city and who on their turn are advised by the council which members come from the various castes inside the town.
The Schneiders are the city leaders or Kings and also its protectors, being in charge of the town's defenders.
When the public fallout shelter under Berlin finally failed when supplies ran out, the survivors of those who had taken shelter there divided in various groups, some would eventually become raiders while others sought to establish new shelters amongst the ruins of Berlin or the country side.
One group of people followed a man named Ernest Schneider whose charisma and words had convinced them to band together for better survival chances.
Taking what equipment, supplies and possessions they still had and could scrounge from the shelter they left for the surface and traveled amongst the ruins of Berlin for many days, having to defend themselves from violent and insane surface survivors.
Once in a while they encountered individuals or other groups, some of them joined Schneider's groups while others left it.
Eventually the group reached ####### where Schneider instructed them to set up camp.
Schneider started to organize survivors along their previous professions, those with building and engineering skills started to set up defensive walls, restored remaining buildings to somewhat habitable conditions and built new houses while those who knew about agriculture and cultivation started to set up the first farms.
When the basics of a town were set up, some would remain and continue construction or protect it from raiders, while others would scavenge the surrounding city ruins for anything they could use.
The people had need of a strong leader and a symbol to gather around as Ernest Schneider had led them to this new place and had worked along with them to set up the town's foundation they choose to make him the leader or King of the town.
Schneider ruled for many years fairly and eventually took a wife who gave him several children.
One of Schneider's sons took over from his father when he had become unable to rule.
While not as diplomatic as his father the second Schneider was a cunning military tactician and warrior, fending of several raider attacks that attempted to take #######, and there was no doubt by the citizens that he cared deep about the city.
Unfortunate when it came to his successor problems arose as amongst the family there was a conflict of who should be in charge next.
Some of the Schneider's started to seek outside aid to secure the position of rule for themselves, allowing corruption to take hold within.
When the best choice, Elza Schneider was accused of betrayal, she was forced to flee and her weaker brother Anton took control instead.
Unlike his ancestors he is much weaker politically, preferring to squander his time and riches on comfort and entertainment.
He is easily influenced by the advisers who helped him into power and who pretty much control the real power.
Anton’s biggest fear is that his sister Elza will return and organize the family and the city people against him, and his agents constantly looking out for signs of insurgency.
The city has not been doing that well under his leadership and is unlikely to be able to protect itself from threats like the Angels or being annexed by the System.
Elza’s Liberators (working name)
A group/organization founded by Elza Schneider, it consists of those members of the House of Schneider that are still loyal to her and friends she has made amongst the people in the wasteland and ruins of Berlin.
Their main goal is to retake the House of Schneider and install its rightful leader to power, driving out Anton and those loyal to him including the corrupt advisors that use him as a pawn.
Elza also has greater plans, she hopes to rally the various settlements and inhabitants of Berlin under one banner and drive out the disruptive and corrupting elements that have established in the city.
For one she would like to make an end to Reich who seeks to take control of the city and drive off the Black Fist who seek to control the various settlements from the shadows while overflowing it with cheap drugs and booze and driving its citizens to gambling or into prostitution.
Heckler and Koch despite bringing in money to the city and employing a portion of the inhabitants would most likely incorporate Berlin if given the opportunity.
They only care about profit.
It is also her intention to keep Berlin independent from the Followers of the Atlantis, the Angels of the Apocalypse, and the System.
Elza does not hate the Followers but distrusts them because they follow the rule of a computer intelligence, the Angels seek to establish a theocratic and intolerant dictatorship, while the System would turn Berlin into a colony under leadership of a puppet government chosen by the Chairman and the Party.
Still despite her good intentions Elza might not be the most ideal choice of ruling Berlin either.
The University
An underground movement of post apocalypse scholars and scientists, it is not as much a faction as an organization moving within settlements and governments.
Its members seek to recover and store both pre War and post War knowledge others would prefer to make disappear and educate people on it.
The University fears that the Angels of the Apocalypse would destroy most history and knowledge while the System would censor part in favor for its own agenda, failing to learn from the mistakes of previous generations.
They have no signature clothing or gear and in general prefer to avoid conflict or public awareness of their existence, though they seek to improve the world and the condition of those within it.
The original organization was founded by government officials and scientists who had taken shelter at one of the government bunkers of Germany.
This particular bunker was chosen for many members of the remaining intelligentsia in Germany.
After other bunkers and facilities dropped of the communication grid the community in the bunker remained isolated and underground for some time until the leaders decided that the time had come to find out what the condition of the surface and survivors was like.
Scout groups returned went above and explored former nearby settlements, a lot of them returned shocked while others did not return at all anymore.
They all shared stories and reports of how society had collapsed into anarchy and violence with only a few structured groups remaining, some had taken residence in the leftover and ruins of towns or built their own while others had formed tribes or raider gangs that preyed on survivors.
There was also a lot of unusual strong mutation going on and the presence of bioweapons that had been developed before the War by the former EC members including Germany.
Most knowledge was lost and the people on the surface already had difficulty enough with survival to focus on preserving what is left.
The inhabitants of the bunker decided to set out preserve the knowledge of the old world as well as record whatever history and achievements were made since the great War, educating those in the wasteland who were willing to listen and learn.
The University seeks to help those who try to rebuild society but they have little resources of their own so they can not take an active stand most of the time.
They can do little against the more aggressive and expansionist organizations and factions in the wasteland other than warning people against them.
Black Fist (working name)
(temporary filler image, image source:
http://www.cafepress.com/+black_power_raised_fist_small_poster,132822232 )
The seedy underbelly of Post War society, the difference between the Black Fist and raiders is that they operate from within settlements and organized governments like the House of Schneider and even the System, preferring to make their money through intimidation, blackmail, providing cheap drugs, booze and prostitution for the drags of society.
The Black Fist prefers to work through manipulation rather than brute force and their influence can be found from the lowest circles to high ranking leaders and politicians.
Most of their holdings can be found in or near cities or settlements, though the Black Fist controls at least one town of its own where they can operate more openly.
Their leaders are not really interested in having actual control of entire societies, preferring rather to have a powerful say in matters while the people rule themselves.
They have seen to it that leaders, mayors and politicians have been replaced with those that are in their pocket to make sure that things go their way.
Raiders either work for them or try to avoid them.
The Black Fist has a small army of enforcers that work for them, keeping order in their gambling halls, bars, prostitution parlors, escorting high ranking members and dealing with those that are a threat to the organization.
Heckler & Koch
Originally a Pre War arm manufacturing company in Germany that manufactured a variety of regular firearms and more exotic energy weapons.
When the European War broke out Heckler And Koch already isolated itself as much as possible from the conflict in order not to be destroyed by it, continuing to manufacture the weapons that the fighting sides needed.
But when it became obvious that a world wide nuclear war could break out the company's CEOs redirected some of its profits to the construction of a vast underground complex or re purposing an already existing facility.
It was presented to the company investors, staff and personnel as a shelter for them and their families, but nothing could be further from the truth.
In reality most of the facility was dedicated to store manufacturing equipment, raw material and fuel, and generators/reactors, everything needed to rebuild the company should the world be consumed by nuclear fire.
Only a 'small' part of the complex was designed for a population to be protected during an attack and life for at least two or three generations underground before they could return to the surface.
Not even those who knew of the complex's purpose managed to make it in time before the doors closed, sealing it off, while a small group of corporate members and their families enjoyed the safety and comfort of the bunker while the others were killed immediately or slowly after the War.
Decades later the bunker was opened and Heckler and Koch started anew.
The need for weapons was great in the anarchy of the European wasteland and wastelanders could easily be contracted to work for the new Heckler and Koch company.
After some training they would either work in the new factory, man new stores or guard its holdings and the shipment of its goods.
The Iron Rollers (working name)
The Iron Rollers are Heckler and Koch’s private mercenary army, they are seperate from their factory guards and caravan escorts, instead dealing with outside threats such as ‘hostile takeover’ attempts by various groups and organizations.
They also are in charge of the protection of the CEOs of Heckler and Koch.
Protectorate (working name)
A small settlement that owes its existence to the presence of the Heckler and Koch factory.
All residents are employees of the company, working in the factory or in a capacity outside it.
Heckler and Koch provides some basic functions like protection but for the rest lets the town’s people deal with their needs and problems on their own, much to the frustration of some of the people who feel that Heckler and Koch could do much more for their employees.
The settlement is a market for the Black Fist who provide drugs, booze, gambling and prostitutes to the settlers who always seek entertainment or an escape from reality.
So far Heckler and Koch have not interfered but they know all to well that the Black Fist seeks ways to get some control of the company and the money it makes, and if they continue H&K will intervene, with armed force if necessary.
The Wild Hunt/Wild Army/Furious Army
Named after a folk myth from North, West, and Central Europe.
From Wikipedia
“The fundamental premise in all instances is the same: a phantasmal group of huntsmen with the accoutrements of hunting, horses, hounds, etc., in mad pursuit across the skies or along the ground, or just above it.
The hunters may be the dead or the fairies (often in folklore connected with the dead).
The hunter may be an unidentified lost soul, a deity or spirit of either gender, or may be a historical or legendary figure like Theodoric the Great, the Danish king Valdemar Atterdag, the Welsh psychopomp Gwyn ap Nudd or the Germanic Woden (or other reflections of the same god, such as Alemannic Wuodan in Wuotis Heer ("Wuodan's Host") of Central Switzerland, Swabia etc.)
It has been variously referred to as Wilde Jagd (German: "wild hunt/chase") or Wildes Heer (German: "wild host"), Herlaþing (Old English: "Herla's assembly"), Woden's Hunt, Herod's Hunt, Cain's Hunt, the Devil's Dandy Dogs (in Cornwall), Gabriel's Hounds (in northern England), Ghost Riders (in North America), Mesnée d'Hellequin (Old North French: "household of Hellequin"), Cŵn Annwn (Welsh: "hounds of Annwn"), divoká honba or štvaní (Czech: "wild hunt", "baiting") , Dziki Gon or Dziki Łów (Polish) and Oskoreia or Åsgårdsreia (Norwegian: "ride of Asgard").
Seeing the Wild Hunt was thought to presage some catastrophe such as war or plague, or at best the death of the one who witnessed it.
Mortals getting in the path of or following the Hunt could be kidnapped and brought to the land of the dead. A girl who saw Wild Edric's Ride was warned by her father to put her apron over her head to avoid the sight.
Others believed that people's spirits could be pulled away during their sleep to join the cavalcade.
In Germany, where it was also known as the "Wild Army", or "Furious Army", its leader was given various identities, including Wodan (or "Woden"), Knecht Ruprecht (cf. Krampus), Berchtold (or Berchta), and Holda (or "Holle"). The Wild Hunt is also known from post-medieval folklore.”
There are many slaver groups operating in the ruins of Europe but the most notorious is the Wild Hunt because of both its strength and brutality.
Attempts have been made in the past to eliminate them but they always recovered and came back in strength.
The members are vicious and seem almost tribal in their customs, rituals and appearance, but they are not ignorant savages.
The customs and rituals exist to strengthen the bonds between the Slaver members and to determine the strongest who should lead and rule.
The rule of the strong is law amongst the Slavers and those to weak to keep up become slaves or are disposed off.
When outsiders wish to join they have to go through a grueling experience to show their strength and intellect on which their place and rank is decided afterward, that is if the initiate survives the ordeal.
While raids are mainly performed to gather slaves and supplies, members take great pride when the opportunity arises to fight enemies of equal to greater strength and arise victorious after it.
When male enemies are fought and defeated their testicles are cut off and placed on a necklace the victor wears, occasionally slavers compete for each others’ winnings.
Captured slaves are either used in slaver camps or are sold on to settlements and groups that trade with the slavers, purchasing guns, ammo and other things the slavers need in return.
Slaver equipment ranges from the most primitive to sophisticated levels such as combat armor, assault rifles and so on.
Usually these are ornamented with the colors and symbols of the wearer to identify to who they belong.
The strong usually get the first selection in raided and purchased equipment.
Reich
Some bad things never disappear, even if a war happens, and Reich is such an example of a bad thing from the past coming to haunt the present.
Reich's ideology is based on what its founders could remember of the Nazism (Nationalsozialismus) and even that was just a plain excuse to beat up outsiders and take what they want.
Reich is more of a gang of violent thugs than a true organization that terrorizes the territory it has established itself in, demanding tribute in return for protection.
Its leader speaks propaganda such as “Strength through Unity” and carries the same delusion dreams of ethnic and ideological cleansing as a certain predecessor, but Reich in general lacks the resources to be more than a particular troublesome raider gang.
Those with true power in general do not pay much attention to them though they know not to underestimate Reich, knowing that it is looking for a chance to increase its strength.
Reich hates the System and occasionally tries to ambush expeditions but they are smart enough not to openly confront them as the System would use the chance to wipe them out once and for all.
The 'Greenhouse' (working name)
A significant agricultural engineering project that took place some time before the European War.
Like the United States would face problems with food production in a few years the European Commonwealth's scientists also predicted a growing gap between food production and food consumption.
Even worse, food production like many other essentials could be a target for terrorists and hostile nations' attacks, destroy a significant portion of the yearly harvest could leave millions starving.
The government in Germany decided to bring together agricultural experts to work on a solution to the possible problem.
Interesting enough a solution was found in a similar project the space agencies of the worlds had been working on for some time, creating self sustained biospheres.
By creating a self regulating and monitored biodome the cultivation of food and its security could be carefully overseen, ensuring that no pollutants or toxins could be introduced from the outside.
One such Greenhouse, perhaps the only one was constructed near Berlin with the intention that once the facility was up and running it could supply the city's population and nearby animal farms of food.
Waste products that could be used as fertilizer could easily be sent back and used for new harvests.
To ensure that the safety of the water, a water purification installation was also assembled inside the Greenhouse structure.
Most of the work in the Greenhouse would be done by robots which would be controlled by a master computer that would also oversee dome conditions and security.
Only a handful of people would be necessary to run the facility.
The Greenhouse survived the nuclear war relatively well, of course parts were cracked open and exposed to the outside, killing or mutating some of the plants but a significant portion of the facility remained isolated and running.
Even without the human overseers the computer carried outs it pre programmed instructions, growing and harvesting plants and recycling dead plants into new fertilizer.
It would at least take several years before survivors discovered the Greenhouse and the riches it held.
Enough food was produced for a limited population but the survivors realized as they explored the Greenhouse and learned more about it and how it worked that this source of food would attract more people who would quickly deplete its supply and resources.
Theses survivors banded together and now zealously guard the facility, making sure no one gets a chance to discover it and tell the rest of the population in Berlin and the surrounding lands.
Despite their respective use of the facility and what maintenance they perform the Greenhouse's systems are starting to fail due to lack of maintenance.
With the right knowledge and components the deterioration could be halted and reversed.
Even more important, the Greenhouse could be restored to almost near full capacity again, feeding a larger population than it does now.
The Signal Listeners
In part tribal and in part cult, The Signal Listeners are the example of a 'cargo cult', mimicking the behavior and actions of Pre War technicians before the War in order to gain the favor of the gods.
The Signal Listeners occupy what used to be the Fernsehturm using it as a home and headquarters for their cult.
(source:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fernsehturm_Berlin)
The got some of the generators up and running again and have fixed any equipment they are capable of repairing such as the communication systems and satellite uplink with which they try to communicate with the great minds beyond the stars or something in that sense. (perhaps they aren't even sure themselves what they worship)
A number of communication satellites is still in orbit and working and the cult has contact with them, using them to contact the star gods or whatever.
These satellites could be used for communication throughout the wasteland and the player could set things in motion that the cult becomes specialized in setting up communication centers in the various settlements, maintained by their members.
The Circle of Outcasts
Where do people who when they are no longer a member of a community, an organization, a raider pack, or a cult?
The Circle of Outcasts is often a source of solace and shelter for such souls that have been separated from their former existence.
Sort of like a tribe, the Circle includes people from various places and groups, exiled citizens, outlaws, raiders, former cultists.
They are all welcome under one condition; they leave their former existence, ideas and practices behind when they become a member, the Circle is made up of people that are not part of anything but the Circle, bringing in these old things from previous existences would make them part of something else.
The Outcasts usually stay underground during the day, in old cellars, caves or the old Berlin metro system through which they also move through the city.
When they come out at night they are completely dressed in black, black linen wrapped about their arms, legs, body and face, or black clothing, they cover their eyes with glowing goggles (night vision goggles?) and wear black hoods or cowls over their head.
This is done to go up into the darkness as the Outcasts do not want to be seen when they go out to search for food, salvaging or to steal from traders and settlements.
Outcasts are not 'evil', they just stick out for themselves and seek to survive in whatever way possible.
Hanglan's Chains
A small Slaver Organization that was founded by Roy Hanglan, a survivor from the United Kingdom who managed to reach the European mainland in the months after the nuclear war.
Hanglan's Chains is a family business which leadership is passed on from father or mother to son or daughter, whoever shows themselves to be the most capable of being able to lead the organization.
Outsiders have been accepted within the Slaver group as otherwise it would not have been able to operate but so far no non Hanglan has been able to become leader of the organization, lieutenants at best.
They are reasonably well armed and organized, understanding the concept of small group tactics and discipline but by now means are equal to a professional mercenary gang or the Wild Hunt which is their biggest rival and threat.
The Black Fist usually deals with Hanglan when they are in need of 'unwilling workforce', finding the Wild Hunt rather disturbing to work with.
The Wolfsrudel (translation; the Wolf pack)
The name is based on the German submarine mass attack tactic that was used against convoys during the Battle of the Atlantic and later adapted by American submarine commanders against Japanese vessels during the Battle of the Pacific.
A raider gang that operates amongst the ruins of Berlin.
The Wolfsrudel members care little of what is left of Pre War morality and culture and they are savange on the point of being almost tribals.
But they are also fanatically loyal to each other, something not seen much amongst Post War society.
Though, I do get an intellectual boner from reading so much raw data, so bravo on going through the work there.
