>>4430603
>>Warlords (Northwest Alliance, Free Citizens, Texas Republic, Southern Territories, Unaligned)

TEXAS REPUBLIC LETS GOO

>>4430603
>U.N. Peacekeepers (Provincial Government Conscripts, Outlying Loyal U.N. Territories)
It’s time the UN actually does something

>>4430605
>>4430608
Ten minutes for more replies and I’ll roll for which one gets selected

>>4430603
>>Warlords

>Warlords

WOOO, TEXAS REPUBLIC

>>4430603
>Military Remnants (General Paxton’s Militia, The Phoenix Army, American Sentinels)
Mad Dog Mattis!!!!

>>4430603
>>Warlords (Northwest Alliance, Free Citizens, Texas Republic, Southern Territories, Unaligned)
Warlords GO
Canadian Allegiants as communists wtf?

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>>4430605
>>4430628
>>Warlords (Northwest Alliance, Free Citizens, Texas Republic, Southern Territories, Unaligned)

The Warlords of America are a brutish sort, many of them with ideologies that seperate them from the other, some sticking with their ideals while others begin vying for money and power.

The Northwest Alliance is a group of Warlords in the territories formerly known as Idaho, Montana, Utah, Wyoming and Colorado, their beliefs are Fascist and they want to conquer America in their image, their overall strength is medium, their prosperity is meagre.

The Free Citizens are a group of Warlords that exist all around the former America, their beliefs are Eco-Fascist, they wish to spread their ideals to a small corner of America and make it their home, their strength is meagre, their prosperity is medium.

The Texas Republic is a group of warlords aligned to expand the interests of Texas, their beliefs are Conservative and they wish to build up Texas to it's own faring Empire, their strength is medium, their prosperity is meagre.

The Southern Territories are an alliance of Warlords from seperate territories, each with different ideals, the highest being Democratic, they wish to stay peaceful, their strength is medium, their prosperity is medium.

Unaligned would just be you and a group of men, not loyal to anyone in a random starter position, with rolls for strength and prosperity.

Who do you choose to start with?
>Northwest Alliance
>Free Citizens
>Texas Republic
>Southern Territories
>Unaligned

>>4430665
>>Texas Republic
TEXAS OR BUST

>>4430665
>Unaligned
Eke out some small corner of America for our own purposes
I hope this lasts longer than the last Civil War quest

>>4430665
>Texas Republic

>>4430666
>>4430670
>>4430672
I'll give another ten minutes for further replies

>>4430665
>Unaligned

Starting out random is way more fun than starting out established.

>>4430665
unaligned

>>4430665
>>Unaligned

WOHO, American Kingdom here I come

>>4430663
I imagine Quebec is too busy minding its own business

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>>4430670
>>4430682
>>4430687

The 2nd Dark Age followed the election, the economy crashed, food supplies to markets ran out, men started taking up arms to take what was left when the National Guard failed to preserve peace.. You are one of those men.

Your beliefs mean nothing, what matters is how you expect to take more power and more ground, the higher factions will do anything to either squash you or bring you to their side, for your safety, you decided to go to the territories not gobbled up by the other groups..

Which territory do you decide to start off in? (Map for reference)
>The Badlands
>Tri-Cut
>North Zone
>Slantland

Also guys, give me three 1d100s to determine our overall unit size.

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>>4430705
My mistake, forgot to add two neutral zones

>>4430705
>The Badlands.
Much terrain that can be used as a buffer.

>>4430705
>>The Badlands

Ride Eternal Shiny and Chrome!

>>4430705
the badlands.
heres hoping its like a desert

>>4430705
>The Badlands

I want to fight Chicoms and Fascists

Rolled 36 (1d100)

>>4430705
>The Badlands
ETERNAL

>>4430707

North Zone, because beyond surrounded from all sides by major powers sounds like a terrible long term plan.

dice+1d100

Rolled 16 (1d100)

>>4430705
>The Badlands.
We better be anarcho-capitalists stationed in Las Vegas or I'm going to riot.

>>4430748
>he didn't read the sticky
Bruh

Rolled 74 (1d100)

>>4430705
>The Badlands
Mite b cool

>>4430758
I have absolutely no idea how to do a dice roll, capiche?

Rolled 71 (1d100)

>>4430713
forgot to roll

>>4430783
dice+1d100
Can change the part after + for different amount of dices and also to change the dices.

Rolled 33 (1d100)

>>4430705
>The Badlands
Of course California is a chinese puppet state.
We should go for them first

>>4430783
Bruh it's written in the sticky on >>>/qst/ and >>>/tg/, I'm not going to spoonfeed you.

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Rolled 1 (1d100)

>>4430705
>The Badlands

>>4430797
>Nat 1
Good thing we already have 3 d100's. QM surely wouldn't use a crit fails override rule, right?!

>>4430797
What the fuck did you just fucking say about me, you little bitch? I'll have you know I graduated top of my class in the Navy Seals, and I've been involved in numerous secret raids on Al-Quaeda, and I have over 300 confirmed kills. I am trained in gorilla warfare and I'm the top sniper in the entire US armed forces. You are nothing to me but just another target. I will wipe you the fuck out with precision the likes of which has never been seen before on this Earth, mark my fucking words. You think you can get away with saying that shit to me over the Internet? Think again, fucker. As we speak I am contacting my secret network of spies across the USA and your IP is being traced right now so you better prepare for the storm, maggot. The storm that wipes out the pathetic little thing you call your life. You're fucking dead, kid. I can be anywhere, anytime, and I can kill you in over seven hundred ways, and that's just with my bare hands. Not only am I extensively trained in unarmed combat, but I have access to the entire arsenal of the United States Marine Corps and I will use it to its full extent to wipe your miserable ass off the face of the continent, you little shit. If only you could have known what unholy retribution your little "clever" comment was about to bring down upon you, maybe you would have held your fucking tongue. But you couldn't, you didn't, and now you're paying the price, you goddamn idiot. I will shit fury all over you and you will drown in it. You're fucking dead, kiddo.

Kek

>>4430745
>>4430755
>>4430762
Sorry for the long wait, had to walk my dog

>>4430745
>>4430755
>>4430762
>16+36+74 =126 / 3 = 42

Throughout your many months of survival, you picked up many stragglers, refugees and other non-aligned people, when the balance of power was first shifted after the collapse of America, you managed to acquire 65 trained fighting men, both well versed in melee and shooting, 33 untrained fighting men and 70 followers who are common folk that follow you around for protection from the wild gangs that cover the landscape.

>The Badlands

After two months travel, carrying your small warband of soldiers and civilians from the former Californian wastes now occupied by Chinese loyalists, you’ve arrived in the Badlands, the old desert areas that were once called Arizona and New Mexico with bits of Nevada unclaimed. The Badlands is pretty much unclaimed, though scouting patrols from the Northwest Alliance, Texas Republic and New Teanyi do sometimes traverse over it, the majority that make up the Badlands are Marauders and free cities that try to establish safe havens throughout the Badlands.

Your story starts near the city of Phoenix, Arizona, with about 168 people riding under your banner.

What shall the former America come to know you by?
>Write-In (Name plus short description)

>>4430842
>The Sons of Washington
If we want to go 'murica route.
>The Nazi Low-Riders
If we want to go biker gang route.
>The Bloodwashed/Washed in the Blood
If we want to go the christian taliban route

>>4430853
I like them all.

>>4430853
Why not Mormons?

>>4430855
Thank you anon.

>>4430856
Deseret is no joke, that's always an option.

>>4430842
>Deseret
>Radical traditionalist Mormon theocracy formed by a group of missionaries from Utah, the missionaries ventured south gathering men on the pilgrimage to the promised land, where they finally arrived near Phoenix, Arizona, the missionaries knew they had found the promised land.

>>4430853
I’m going more for this type but I like the names man
>>4430863

>>4430863
By theocracy I meant theodemocracy, that's the proper Mormon way.

>>4430603
Okay, boomer.

Rolled 1 (1d3)

>>4430868
I see what you mean. Hmm...

>>4430842
>The Sons of Washington
>When the chicoms came and the Free State of Jackson didn't pan out, Thad Smith led almost a hundred men out into the badlands to live up to his dream: Liberty and death on tyrants. It spiraled a little out of control, with the heads on stakes and so on, but they really aren't so bad compared to their enemies, right?

>>4430909
Voting

>>4430842
>What shall the former America come to know you by?

>The Sun Belt Crusaders
>A former chemist turned drug cook turned warlord leads a small band of former Californians. Having found God in the post election chaos, the warlord and followers seeks to "reclaim" their former home of Southern California. Now based in a former chemical plant in Phoenix Arizona, they seek to build a base of support from which to launch operations in launching raids, converting locals, and eventually leading the effort to retake the Golden State from the godless reds. No matter the cost in blood.
I kind of just mashed up a bunch of shit people came up with and added a dash of Breaking Bad for fun

>>4430967
Walter White becomes a Christian and thus starts a crusade.
+1

>>4430842
Switching vote to this >>4430967

>>4430967
>>4430971
>>4430972
Writing

>>4430967
I want to switch my vote from >>4430909 to this, PCP fanatics for the win

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>>4430967
>>4430971
>>4430972
The Sun Belt Crusaders is what your group is named.. A small refugee party that escaped from California and the dastardly Chinese, now turn in a semi-sect of Catholicism, revering the mighty Jesus Christ as the prophet... And you as the messenger..

The Messenger is the only name your people know of you, your ideals are stretched thin between those of the Chinese Vassals and the Northwest Alliance, you and your people are the only variety of your kind... Soon to be in the thousands as you have said countless times before..

Your current headquarters is a chemical plant on the outskirts of Phoenix, formerly owned by a company called Kent Corporation, you have an ability to create drugs on a wide scale to influence more followers to turn to the light of the Lord.

Your followers provide you with wealth and other resources each time-pass to add on to your resource pile, your current wealth generated by your followers is 3+ each time-pass, you currently have 50+ wealth with no buildings generating wealth, less followers in your party means less wealth.

You currently have one farm generating 2+ food each time-pass. Your current food supply is 20+ food, and your party uses up 3+ food each time-pass.

Current time is in the Afternoon.

What shall your party do now?
>Consult with your advisors
>Send scouts to Phoenix (Five armed men leave the party.)
>Check food supply
>Send some of your people around to convert the populace to your side (Five trained or Ten untrained or Twenty followers leave the party.)
>Show construction options
>Train untrained or followers to become trained fighting men
>Pass the time
>Write in

>>4431015
>Send scouts to Phoenix (Five armed men leave the party.)
We should scout Phoenix before sending out missionaries, make sure there aren't any baddies around.

>>4431024
Five minutes for replies if not we're going with yours

>>4431015
>Send some of your people around to convert the populace to your side (Five trained)
>Show construction options
Hopefully we can do multiple

>>4431015
I don't care if you flake from the quest right now, that edit alone made it worth it

>Send scouts to Phoenix (Five armed men leave the party.)
If possible also
>Show construction options
Just so we know what we can do

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>>4431024
>>4431031
>>4431033


You decide to send some of your armed men to Phoenix, one of your advisors brings up a map to you to show you where we are currently situated...

We are just a little south of Phoenix, in the small village of Mobile, to the south of us is the city of Tuscon, further north from Phoenix is the city of Flagstaff, all you know of the land is that you passed a big Chinese Border Guard Battalion when you were making your way into unaligned territory, they have since been resupplied with more men and are slowly encroaching into Arizona, taking a small town.

You have one more option before the time-pass ends and you decide to use it to figure out your construction options.

>Buildings you have now: Farmx1
>Buildings you can construct now, you have 50 wealth to use.
Farmx1 - 30 Wealth
Firing Rangex1 (Trains men quicker) - 25 Wealth
Housex1 (Allows for more followers to join your party while staying in one location) - 20 Wealth
Defensesx1 (Sandbags, trenches and traps) - 30 Wealth
Propaganda Centerx1 (Converts unaligned faster) - 30 Wealth
Churchx1 (Allows for a place of worship, boosts to Follower taxes and Fighting men morale)

What shall you do?
>Build something - Write in
>Return to the main choices

>>4431044
>Build something - Church x1
How much are churches? you forgot to include the price, as long as it's 30 or under that's fine.

>>4431049
Ah my mistake, it would be 30 wealth, thanks for catching that, trying to make up a whole system for how everything operates.

>>4431044
>Churchx1 (Allows for a place of worship, boosts to Follower taxes and Fighting men morale) - 30 Wealth
God comes first. The money is nice too.

>>4431044
>>Churchx1
god won't bless america if she doesn't have at least one of em churches dotted along her chest

>>4431044
>Build something - Church x1
We need to get a mine or something later so we can start making medieval crusader armour.

>>4431044
>Church x1
Morale is important. After this we need to get some drugs going ASAP. Meth and fanaticism are a dangerous combo that can more than compensate for a lack of training, just look at how much ISIS managed.

>>4431090
Couldn't we just strip the sides off of the cars that have been abandoned and use the scrap there?

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>>4431090
I more like the Space Marine type aesthetic we got in the pic earlier. We could go for more practical Fallout styled metal armor (pic related), but paint them and add crusader type symbols/icons.

>>4431139
+1

>>4431139
I say go for the space marine aesthetic

>>4431139
>>4431238
>>4431248
I'm leaning to the junkie fanatic aesthetic myself.

>>4431139
I'll support this

>>4431044
>Churchx1 (Allows for a place of worship, boosts to Follower taxes and Fighting men morale)

>>4431044
>Churchx1 (Allows for a place of worship, boosts to Follower taxes and Fighting men morale)

if this quest doesn't end with ohio owning the world then its all for nothing

>>4431098
Cars can be used for build technicals and other vehicles.
A mine would give us raw materials, and if we have some industry we can use it for properly build armors, weapons and anything else.

>>4432009
Build a church from car parts then

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>>4431049
>>4431069
>>4431077
>>4431090
>>4431098
>>4431636
>>4431847
>Churchx1

You convey to your followers to start constructing a Church to have an acquired taste of worship, you believe that Mobile can be the town that can be the new hub for Arizona but only if you act fast.

Your followers find a decrepit nearly in-ruined Church, the walls are falling apart, there are no chairs, most of the holy books are burned, and the roof is no longer there.. Your followers will require material and specific items to rebuild it to it's former glory, you hand out 30 parts of your wealth to a sub-leader of your followers to go out and find traders where they can requisition screws, wood pallets, and tiles to fix up the Church.

>Night falls on the land.

Your followers clamber about the outside of the Chemical Plant in all directions.

>What's currently happening.
Your five armed men you sent out are still scouting Phoenix.
Your current construction project is a Church, 20 of your followers are indisposed.
You have gained 2+ Food and 3+ Wealth.
You have lost 3+ Food and now have 19+ Food.

Current time is at Night.
>Consult with your advisors
>Send some of your people around to convert the populace to your side (Five trained or Ten untrained or Twenty followers leave the party.)
>Show construction options
>Train untrained or followers to become trained fighting men
>Pass the time
>Write in

>>4432447
>Train untrained or followers to become trained fighting men

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>>4432478
For every two followers or untrained fighters, require one trained fighter to train them, are you sure?
If so, how many should be trained?

>>4432478
Ditto
Also, we’d probably be excellent Blitzkriegers, mostly because of all the Meth

>>4432487
Half of our current fighting force should be good

>>4432487

Let s start with just the untrained fighters then. I vote for that

>>4430665
Texas warlords

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>>4432478
>>4432492
>>4432494
You order a good portion of your men to seek out those who wish to be trained in their fighting skills to better protect the group and their families as a whole.

The 33 untrained fighting men are brought foward to you, a make-shift milita of sorts, some old, many young, from your calculations and the advice of your advisors..

You will need atleast 17 trained fighting men to set aside their duty of guarding and being available for further tasking so they may train these men to become better fighters.
This will take atleast 2 days.

Current time is still Night.
>Examine the surroundings of your base camp.
>Set guards for the night
>Consult with your advisors
>Send some of your people around to convert the populace to your side (Five trained or Ten untrained or Twenty followers leave the party.)
>Show construction options
>Pass the time
>Write in

>>4432510
>Set guards for the night
Have a dozen guys working in shifts keep watch. We shouldn't need our entire force

>>4430705
Tri-cut, I have plenty of options of where to go next and hopefully can go across some trade roads.

>>4432515
Support

>>4432515
Support

>>4432515
+1

>>4432515
Support

>>4432515
+1, also
>Consult with your advisors

>>4432510
>Set guards for the night
>Consult with your advisors

>>4432515
This

I just wanna say, you guys should be looking at kicking china out of the USA while you are still a warlord. The military can't do it without it becoming an international conflict (thus nuclear possibilities) and the UN won't be able to contest china because it is useless.

I think OP is dead. I'm drunk and down to continue this shit in some capacity if you guys are down

Concept is definitely fun even if the ops version of the american civil war is something on the other side of a fever dream

So long as you can save our progress and our build options actually make some sort of difference. I'll play.

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>>4432510
>>4432515
>>4435001
>>4435033
>>4437727
Alright, I'll continue off of this then since OP's dead and I said I was down to continue it. I'll aim to do at least 1 solid sized update a day. If I get votes, I won't drop the quest. At least not without making it clear and giving a little explanation. I have no clue what I'm doing, but I want to see the saga of the Great Crusade of Walter White continue.

OPTIONS SELECTED:
>Set guards for the night
>Consult with your advisors

You order about a dozen men to stand watch for the night. The small community has not appreciated your band of Californian transplants moving in looking to set up a drug based theocracy. Most of the others are busy conducting training, doing some late construction on the church, or out on missions. Those who remain awake at base are mostly your close advisors. The true College of Cardinals. The half dozen of you are seated at a dilapidated table in one of the rooms of the abandoned factory. Under the dull florescent lights, you are briefed on the situation and prepare to make the all important opening decisions in this crusade.

You are briefed on the village of Mobile. This small town seems to have avoided falling into any craziness. The only faction besides yours is the Mobile Administration, which formed when it was clear they were abandoned by the town of Goodyear, which they are technically part of. Their forces are roughly comparable to yours, and are situated just north of the 238 highway. Their assets include a few small farms, standard residential buildings (fire station, grocers, etc), and most notably a small airport. Being true rural 'Muricans, they are well armed and well prepared, such that a direct assault is guaranteed to fail, at least until everyone arrives and is fully trained.

"Meth! We need meth!" One of the cardinals says, slamming his shaking fist on the table. "We didn't hole ourselves in a chemical plant for nothing. If we can get this place up and running, we'll be swimming in meth. You said we just need to fix some of the machinery with the right supplies, about 100 wealth units worth, and then we'll be able to use leftover chemicals to mass produce the stuff. Our troops could use the boost to their fighting spirit!"

This cardinal, an obvious addict, was right. In your past life, before you found the light of Jesus Christ, you were an expert chemist and as a meth producer. Currently, you are producing a small amount of meth, but you could easily begin mass production if you just had the right materials to fix up and retool the plant. The abandoned chemical plant has a significant amount of methylamine and making the necessary P2P is no issue for a chemist such as yourself. You just need the right materials.

"Or rather we could sell the product," another Cardinal says. "With the collapse of much of the government, drug enforcement should be gone. We could easily sell the drugs off and make a killing."

[1/2]

>>4438478
[2/2]

"All this pie in the sky talk of mass drug production's useless until we secure the town," a third Cardinal mentions. "We need to focus on crossing the 238, securing the entire town, and especially that airport. Even if only 1 plane's still there, we got to get our hands on it as fast as possible. Focus on building up our forces, make some armor out of scraps, and take the town by the end of the week. It'll be a bloodbath, but we'll be stronger after it. And the dead will find their way to Heaven."

"Alternatively," the fourth cardinal, an older man, starts. "We could approach them and engage in diplomacy. They're not the commie lapdogs we left behind in California. These are rural types who will see that we seek to bring order, prosperity, and traditional values. They may be heretics, but that is because they have not seen the light."

The final cardinal breaks his silence. "We're over-planning. Let's wait until we have heard back from the scouts and the traders get back. Keep our options open so we can react to whatever happens."

Before the night is over, you make your decision on what to do for the first half of this week:

>Focus on fixing up the chemical plant to make more meth for the troops
>Focus on fixing up the chemical plant to make more meth to sell
>Focus on outfitting the troops better in preparation to secure Mobile
>Arrange for a diplomatic mission to the townsfolk, seeking to convert them to your cause or faith
>Take a wait and see approach, conserving resources and effort to better react to whatever happens
>Do something else... [Write-in]

Oh, and somebody roll me 2 d100's for random events. One is more local and the other is a global scale event, and it's possible you won't know immediately what has happened since news and communication has broken down.

P.S.: I left some of the details like who the advisors are specifically a bit vague. Not sure if fleshing that stuff out would be bloat or if others want to add in suggestions for characters & shit. And I'm taking some "creative liberties" with this setting, since as an Anon mentioned, it's kind of batshit crazy.

Rolled 86, 11 = 97 (2d100)

>>4438479
>Take a wait and see approach, conserving resources and effort to better react to whatever happens
>Arrange for a diplomatic mission to the townsfolk, seeking to convert them to your cause or faith
Combination of cardinals 4 and 5: wait for the scouting party to return, and tailor the diplomatic strategy to the situation after it's reported back to us. Diplomacy is always less resource-cost than straight war.

>P.S.: I left some of the details like who the advisors are specifically a bit vague. Not sure if fleshing that stuff out would be bloat or if others want to add in suggestions for characters & shit.
I'm fine with the cardinals just being their numbers/personalities. So far I'm seeing
1: meth addict cardinal / morale cardinal
2: meth dealer cardinal / money-motivated cardinal
3: planning-oriented war cardinal
4: planning-oriented peace cardinal
5: "doesn't make plans until he has all the info" cardinal
>And I'm taking some "creative liberties" with this setting
It's only natural to do so

>>4438479
Produce meth, get townsfolk hooked. Simultaneously preach to them. take the town without or with minimal bloodshed.

>>4438479
>Arrange for a diplomatic mission to the townsfolk, seeking to convert them to your cause or faith
>Take a wait and see approach, conserving resources and effort to better react to whatever happens

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>>4438505
>>4439285
>>4439360

LOCAL EVENT: 86
>Mysterious Merchant Man
To build the church, you sent some men to obtain the necessary supplies. They expected to travel down the 238 to Maricopa where they would stay a while, trade, and come back with the building materials. What happened instead was that on the highway they met a mysterious man in a long coat with a pair of donkeys carrying an inhuman amount of random loot on him. For some reason, this included the needed screws, tools, tiles, and a wooden pallet. And all at a very low, affordable price. The Merchant had a strange accent and kept trying to peddle the "rare guns for sale, stranger," but the team couldn't buy them if they wanted to, and they didn't want to stay around the man for longer than necessary. They came back early, allowing for construction to begin immediately. The church should be done by the end of the week, just in time for services. The congregation will just have to ignore the strange smell and blood stains all over the building materials.
>EFFECT: Half off of construction supplies, so an effective +15 WP. Construction starts earlier.

GLOBAL EVENT: 11
>UNKNOWN
2020 was a hell of a year. First it was the outbreak of Wuhan Viral Pneumonia, then it was the nearly successful assassination of the president postponing the election, and the start of the separatist movements. 2021 has made that feel positively normal. With the de facto Chinese takeover of the West Coast via corporate proxies and the support of numerous tech megacorps, the degeneration of rural America into banditry, and the U.N. actually getting up off of its ass and doing shit, it's clear that this year anything can and will happen. You have the feeling something major has happened, but you have no way of knowing what. It's not like you can just turn on the news or go to the Internet, since signal/news that's anything but one faction's blatant propaganda is impossible to get in this rural area. For now, you're simply going to have to wait to find out what happens.
>EFFECT: Unknown.

OPTIONS SELECTED:
>Take a wait and see approach, conserving resources and effort to better react to whatever happens
>Arrange for a diplomatic mission to the townsfolk, seeking to convert them to your cause or faith
>Preach the good word, with a nice helping of drugs

You conclude that control over the town is a necessity, but that the way to do it is with minimal bloodshed. There's likely a way to get these folks on your side, whether it be by convincing them of the Word, striking a deal where they peacefully join forces with yours, or maybe by turning them all into meth addled junkies. Who knows? You dismiss the cardinals, pray the rosary, and go to sleep.

[1/2]

>>4439387
[2/2]

In the morning, you wake up and see everything in order. The farm is being tended to, untrained folk are being molded into soldiers of Christ, and the team you sent out to buy materials has come back early and successful.Things are looking up, and you can think of no better time to get to know your neighbors.

You and a number of men armed with guns and a banner displaying the Lord march out to the 238 border. A few armed townsfolk are out on watch and watch with suspicion, but with holstered arms.

"Good morning!" you shout out to them. "Apologies, but I don't think we've formally introduced ourselves."

"Get on with it, we ain't got all day," one of their number, a middle aged woman, responds.

"I wish to meet with your leader and talk. We are good, God fearing men and women, and not mere bandits or warlords." You say that last bit earnestly, despite blatantly being a warlord. In your eyes and heart, you know you're a man with a mission. You're on a mission from God. "We have much to discuss and can benefit mutually."

The guards talk among themselves, eventually sending out a runner. After a bit of a back and forth, an agreement is made. On high noon, their mayor will come out and meet you on the side of the highway. Their side, as a symbol of the town being "theirs" first. Of course, both sides will have their troops present with arms at the ready, but only to be unholstered in the event of aggression from the other party.

You grab some supplies, chief among them your Bible, your gun, and a sample of meth. Most of the town is present, as are most of your followers. This is clearly the big event, and for good reason. You take stock of your diplomatic options, thinking of what to focus on to get them on your side without bloodshed. While you'll keep all of your options open during negotiations, you decide on putting the main focus on:

>Religion: Argue for God. Your God. Get them to understand your mission and their greater place in the universe in fighting for Christ.
>Pragmatism: Ask what you can do for them and they'll do what they can for you. There are enough threats outside of Mobile Arizona to worry about.
>Intimidation: Your men are hardened badasses who crossed a desert to fuck shit up. They could mop the floor with the blood of these shitstain bumpkins. You'll show mercy if they surrender.
>Drugs: You're not here to take over, you're here to start a business. You can provide them with wealth and jobs if they let you. Plus, meth's fun, give them some!
>Something else: [WRITE-IN]

Btw, I'll do the "civ" resource management stuff after this is sorted out. I'm thinking of dividing up the turns into halves of weeks to get a balance between detail and big picture stuff. I'm interested in what you guys think though

>>4439388
>Religion: Argue for God. Your God. Get them to understand your mission and their greater place in the universe in fighting for Christ.

>>4439388
>>Religion: Argue for God. Your God. Get them to understand your mission and their greater place in the universe in fighting for Christ.

>>4439388
>Religion: Argue for God. Your God. Get them to understand your mission and their greater place in the universe in fighting for Christ.
>Pragmatism: Ask what you can do for them and they'll do what they can for you. There are enough threats outside of Mobile Arizona to worry about.

File: Face of God.jpg (388 KB, 772x1343)

388 KB JPG

>>4439519
>>4439548
>>4439692

OPTION SELECTED:
>Religion: Argue for God. Your God. Get them to understand your mission and their greater place in the universe in fighting for Christ.

You could have tried to strike up a deal, intimidated them, or, hell, even give them a supply of meth and waited until they became hopelessly addicted. But you didn't. Instead, you take out the Holy Bible and start singing a Psalm in Latin in Catholic tradition. Singing underneath a banner of Christ and the high noon sun, surrounded by a gang that looked straight out of a Mad Max film, was certainly out of the ordinary. But it was effective. You finished singing, and you could tell the crowd of townsfolk was surprised, but intrigued by your conviction. You began to speak.

"Blessings to you, folk of Mobile, and greetings from the Sun Belt Crusaders. We seek to bring peace to America by the preaching the Word and restoring order. We have seen the wrath brought by the Godless Reds out in California and their megacorp dogs. We seek to grant protection to this town spiritually, but also materially."

The town mayor, an old man who bears the signs of a life of hard work, looks to his people and then squints at you for a good few seconds before speaking. "And if we refuse?"

"Then we shall pray for you. Due to fortunate events, no doubt the work of the Lord, we will have a church built by Sunday in time for services." You turn to the townsfolk. "And should any of you wish to join, know that not a hair on your heads will be harmed. We will accept you with open arms."

"Well, forgive me, but you guys look like a bunch of bandits out here with that ragged stuff you got on. And don't think I ain't able to tell you cooking meth or whatever out in that ol' chemical plant."

"John Seven Twenty-Four. 'Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment.' We may look like like a petty warlord band outwardly, but we are true believers - true crusaders - at heart. When we first got here, was our first action not to leave you guys alone and to build a church? Did we not choose to reach out and speak with you, rather than attacking?" You pause for a moment. "And yes, we do make methamphetamine of the highest quality. God made these chemicals for a reason, and what reason is more noble than to help in our efforts to bring peace, order, and traditional values to this great nation? Will you consider working with us, for God?"

"Hmm," the mayor thinks out loud. "We'll need a moment to talk this over," he says as he walks back. The older man gestures to a few men and a woman, and they break off into a group to discuss things in private. You have no clue what they're saying, and can only hope and pray for the best.

Everyone's on edge waiting for the impromptu town council to make a decision. Both sides wait with anticipation and hands near their holstered weapons under the blazing white sun of the Sonoran Desert.

>Roll 2 d20
>High is probably good, just don't roll a 1

>>4440597
>Roll 2 d20
>High is probably good, just don't roll a 1
Is it 2 per person or 2 total and best of 2?

>>4440615
The way it works is that I just want some dice rolls to determine the outcome of this event. It could be 2 people rolling a d20 each, or 1 person rolling 2d20, it's fine either way. In this case, the result is the higher of the two. There are also a bonus/malus that will be applies to the roll which I'll reveal in the post. The bigger the number the better the outcome will probably be. If a 1 is rolled, then that's a crit fail that overrides any other roll except a nat 20. I'm experimenting around, so I might change things in the future.

Rolled 8 (1d20)

>>4440698
Ah ok
I'll give another anon a chance to roll as well then

Rolled 16 (1d20)

>>4440597

File: Sealing the Deal.jpg (7 KB, 283x178)

7 KB JPG

>>4440809
>>4440872

>Rolled 16

The small gathering, what you can only imagine is an ad hoc town council meeting, starts off reserved. Soon, you can notice things are heating up. While they're too far for you to make out what they're saying, it's clear they're getting worked up over this. After a long fifteen minutes in the blazing heat, the group begins to settle down. After another five minutes, they break off, and the mayor returns to you stone-faced.

"You and your group of armed, twitching Californian transplants came over to our small village and just decided to set up shop. You started making meth in the abandoned Kent plant, took over an old farm, and are training a small army here, guards 'n everything. And then you called a meeting, with that crew that, well, looks like something outta one of those B movies. I had half a mind to just tell the boys to start shooting."

>Penalty of 5 for the absurdity of the situation (Catholic Meth-head Crusaders)

"But you didn't," you say.

"I didn't," he responds. "I thought y'all were just another gang of nutjobs, like the bikers that came 'round a few weeks ago. But you know, the more I thought about it, the more I realized I think there's something to you guys. Normally, that'd be a helluva scary thought, but nothing's nothing. Hasn't been since the Wuhan Viral Pneumonia outbreak 'bout a year back. A lot of us have been wanting something real, authentic, to believe in. I'm no preacher, but I know a man posessin' faith when I see it. Your group is a lot of things, but insincere ain't one of them."

>Bonus of 4 for sincerity in belief (building the church and extending an open hand)

"Thank you. It means a lot to me," you say. "So, are you willing to join us."

"Hold your horses there buddy," the mayor says, chuckling. "We don't know you guys THAT well. We'll be stickin' to our side of the 238 and we'll be expecting you guys to stick by your side. We'll keep some guards, armed society being a polite society and all. Me and some of us will visit you guys on Sunday. In the meantime, I think we can help each-other out. We could always use a few spare hands with the wells, and I'm sure we can help out with whatever you guys might need. As long as it doesn't involve any drugs. We ain't messing around with that garbage."

"I think that to be good," you respond. "Rome wasn't built in a day, and I believe you good folk will come around to our views. We'll treat you as neighbors, the Christian way."

"So that's a yes, then. Shake on it?" he says, extending his open hand. You shake on it, knowing that this is the first step to the integration of Mobile Arizona.

While not total and immediate, it's about as good as you can hope for. With a little time and a bit of effort, they'll be fully integrated and as loyal and zealous as the rest.

>Final Result: 15 - SUCCESS

[1/2]

>>4440947
[2/2]

"So, neighbor," the mayor says. "While we're here, I might as well mention a little problem we've been having."

"Yes?"

"Remember those bikers I mentioned? Well, they'll be comin' back. Don't know when. May be in a week. May be in a month. May be in half an hour for all I know."

"And you want us to help deal with them," you interject.

"Well," he says, taking a deep breath. "That would certainly be nice. They seem to be a bunch of insane druggies who got their hands on a bunch of weapons. They got more guys than we got in our militia and their better equipped. We had to 'share' some of the fuel we got in our small airport. And we had to promise we'd 'share' some more when they came back."

"You're being extorted, then."

"I mean, I woul-, ah, who am I kidding. Yep, we're being extorted. And we'd like your help. We've had little luck ourselves, so however you guys think we should deal with it, we'll be on board. I'll warn you, they're an ornery folk."

You wanted this town, and you basically got it. The town, and its problems too. You think for a moment about how you could respond.

>"I'll share some meth with them. They'd probably want that more than fuel, and they'll become good customers."
>"I'll purge them with the might of the Lord. Next time they come, they'll get a load of bullets."
>"You should continue giving them fuel while you still can. It's not worth the trouble."
>"I'll have a word with them. I'm sure I can get them to back off, or even join us."
>[WRITE-IN]

Again, I'm open to feedback on the mechanics or formatting or w/e, if you guys have any.

>>4440948
>"I'll have a word with them. I'm sure I can get them to back off, or even join us."

>>4440948
>"I'll have a word with them. I'm sure I can get them to back off, or even join us."
>"I'll share some meth with them. They'd probably want that more than fuel, and they'll become good customers."
Speech/persuasion 100 soon

>>4440962
>>4441606

OPTION SELECTED:
>"I'll have a word with them. I'm sure I can get them to back off, or even join us."

"Oh, really?" the mayor responds in disbelief. "Well, no doubt you guys are Christians. Who else'ld decide they could have a friendly chat with a bunch of tweaked out biker bandits."

"I have experience dealing with these people. I've sold product to them, and I think I can turn this into a plus."

ALSO SELECTED:
>"I'll share some meth with them. They'd probably want that more than fuel, and they'll become good customers."

The mayor looks at you with skepticism. "If you can get these assholes off of our backs without shots fired that'd be great. But I'll be keeping my rifle by my side."

"As will we."

And with that, the two of you part. By sundown, the highway entrance has been made into a shabby checkpoint on the townsfolk side, and soon enough it's done on the Crusader side. The next day, some of your followers cross over into the other side and help with some of various projects the town needs done in a show a good faith. Unarmed, of course. They get a few suspicious looks, but what matters is that they helped get shit done and cracked a few beers. Some of their number come by and help with the construction of the church.

By the end of the half week, most of the training has finished and your fighting force has increased. The scouts sent to Phoenix haven't returned, which isn't great, but it's not terrible either. You're still cooking meth from the chemical plant base and have a decent amount, but much less than what you could have if you could get those repairs. Overall, things are going in a good direction, but it's too early to start feeling safe.

[END OF WEEK 1, PART 1]

[1/2]

>>4442385
[2/2]

It's time to take stock of your resources, order projects, and set policies for Week 1, Part 2:

>Resources:

>Available Manpower:
90 trained fighters (8 away on missions)
70 followers

>Wealth:
45 Wealth Points (abstract unit representing resources)
+10 WP per half-week from followers
16 Food Units
-10 Food from consumption per half week
+6 Food from 1 farm

>Projects:

>Construction: Select at most 1:
Firing Range: Helps in training. - 25 WP
Improved Housing: Can support a larger population. Slightly improves morale. - 25 WP
Highway Defenses: Can stop vehicles on the 238. Bonus in defending the town. - 35 WP
Farm: Makes more food. - 35 WP
Chemical Plant Level 1: Allows for large scale meth production. Unlocks chemistry options. - 100 WP
[Write-in]

>Diplomatic: Select at most 1:
Mobile Integration: Focus on building relations in the community of Mobile to help integrate them into the Sun Belt Crusaders.
Internal Conflict Resolution: Look inward by promoting uniformity in thought and by nipping small problems in the bud.
Scouting: Have the group organize a scouting party and explore a location. Select from the Gila Bend, Maricopa, Phoenix (second party), or a [Write-in]

>Policies:

>Integration Policy:
Secular Diplomacy: Engage in community building, trying to slowly win them over by being good neighbors.
Christ's Glory: Preach the Gospel and try to make as many converts as possible, as quickly as possible.
Good Works: Invest your followers' time and resources into the town, attempting to win them over faster at the cost of 5 WP a half-week.

>Meth Policy:
Smoke It: Give your followers the meth you produce, making them more loyal, more hardworking, and just a little bit crazier.
Dump It: Try to sell meth to whoever will buy it, making some easy money. Will likely cause conflict/slow integration.
Save It: Stockpile the stuff. It might come handy later.

Wew, major update, but I want to try having a real structure to this that I can use going forwards and which doesn't overwhelm you guys with boring shit. Basically, instead of micromanaging shit like drug sales or diplomacy, you select diplomacy focuses/actions and select what kind of policies you want to pursue. I want a system I can ad hoc add shit to without either breaking it or having it degenerate into tedious bean counting.
If you guys have any suggestions or questions or whatever else make it known since I am making this up as I go. Or just select projects/policies, that's fine too.

>>4442386
Farm: Makes more food. - 35 WP

Internal Conflict Resolution: Look inward by promoting uniformity in thought and by nipping small problems in the bud.

Secular Diplomacy: Engage in community building, trying to slowly win them over by being good neighbors.

Save It: Stockpile the stuff. It might come handy later.
Pervitin

>>4442421
support

>>4442421
+1

>>4442386
supporting>>4442421

>>4442421
>>4442485
>>4442585
>>4442773

OPTIONS SELECTED:
>Construct Farm
You order the doubling of the current farmland using some of the resources saved from the chance encounter with the merchant and from what wealth you got from your followers. This should put food supplies in the black once the farm is up and running. It will take no less than a week to finish, due to the ongoing church construction project.

The church construction project is set to finish this week. The extra pairs of hands from Mobile certainly helped. Once finished, morale should go up, as will the amount of wealth/effort your followers will put into the cause. It may even help with the integration, once services are up and running.

>Internal Conflict Resolution: Look inward by promoting uniformity in thought and by nipping small problems in the bud.

Speaking of church services, the construction of the church brings up issues of how services will be structured and related matters of theology. Issues such as what time services start, which changes should be made to suit the current times, and even what kind of decorations should be used come up. You spend the better part of your time resolving these issues, making sure that everyone is on the same page and that heretical notions resulting from ignorance are cleared up. Knowing the history of your faith, "reformations" are all too common of a threat, whether it be Martin Luther's unjustified uprising or the recent "Pope" Francis' radical and heretical alterations made after the chaos of the election.

By the end you find everything resolved and unity prevailing. It was boring, but necessary.

>Secular Diplomacy: Engage in community building, trying to slowly win them over by being good neighbors.
With more activity on your side of the border on account of construction, you find it necessary to have a set policy for dealing with friendly outsiders. In this case, you chose to "dial back the crazy" and pursue traditional, modest means of winning people over. No street preaching, no gifts, but rather just honesty and reciprocity. The townsfolk take it well, and their concerns over your group being a bunch of lunatics are eased.

There'll be time enough for them to become fanatic crusaders of Christ, no need to rush things.

>Save It: Stockpile the stuff. It might come handy later.
Much of your time spent not administering the Crusaders is spent in the "lab". It's a shadow of your lab back in California. There's lots of precursor, but cooking high quality product is time consuming, requiring constant double checking and repairs/jury-rigging. You need time to produce and stockpile the stuff for when it's really needed. You could give supplies to your men, or even sell to townsfolk for some extra scratch. But then you would have none left if a battle occurred, or if a passing trader happened to come by and want to buy some at a high price.

Always got to keep some in reserve for the shit you don't even know is coming.

[1/3]

>>4443525
[2/3]

During the tail end of the half-week, you see some familiar figures running down from the Sierra Estrella range to the northeast. The scouts you sent to Phoenix have come back. Ragged, stinking, and with significantly less ammunition. But in one piece.

Apparently, Phoenix has turned into an absolute shitshow. From what the scouts could gather, the official government ended up actually siding with the Marxist revolutionaries. And not just tepid lip service, but handing them full power over in exchange for the promotion of numerous key figures. What commenced was full own expropriations, executions, and the abolishing of everything from wealth to marriage. Those caught within the Phoenix Occupied Zone (POZ) had no choice but to engage in greater displays of loyalty to hold on to what they had, turning anyone who didn't immediately flee (i.e. anyone without an "R" in voter registration) into full blown Red Guards.

The areas outside of the direct town center were more conservative and took umbrage with the current situation, to put it mildly. A loose coalition of literally anyone else formed, encompassing everyone from corporate conservatives to blue collar types to fascists and to even an obscure group of well armed doomsday cultists calling themselves the "Boogie Nights Boys". While successful at holding off the POZ initially, cohesion has begun to rapidly degenerate to where open fighting is all but guaranteed.

The scouts also explain that they got caught out having wandered into Red territory by accident and had to fight their way out. They left the POZ, but ended up straying into Indian Reservation territory. Mistaken for invaders, they had to fight their way out by travelling deeper into the mountains. Getting lost, fighting off native guerrillas, and trying to not die of dehydration, the fact that they didn't lose anyone was a miracle.

File: Spoiler Image (2.58 MB, 300x214)

2.58 MB GIF

>>4443527
[3/3]

Along they way, they got some intel about the other nearby locations. It's not much, but it helps you decide which area to set your sights to when it comes to expansion. There's the town of Goodyear to the north, which Mobile is nominally part of, but which abandoned the small village during the initial chaos. The town, is on the edge of the Phoenix Metropolitan Area and various conservative factions are jockeying for power there. To the east, there's Maricopa, which has managed to stay stable and some semblance of sanity. At over 50,000, it's populous, but not to the same degree as Phoenix. It's a major agricultural area, making it valuable. To the west, there's Gila Bend, a small town of just about 2,000 people that's apparently been having some trouble (which could mean absolutely anything). It's still several times larger than your village, but small compared to the other places that actually matter. You are also vaguely aware of places like Tucson and Yuma, although they're far off and you have next to no intel on them.

You decide that it would be wise to look into expanding towards the direction of:

>Goodyear: Best to start working on having a foothold in Phoenix, the jewel of Arizona
>Maricopa: A stable agricultural zone, it's valuable, and will only become more so as chaos amps up in Phoenix
>Gila Bend: Let the more populated areas grind themselves into dust. You'll take smaller areas and come back when you're ready

And importantly, you have to decide on what expanding means to you, at least for now. You decide on:

>Occupation: Fight battles, take land, and hold it. Inch by inch you'll grow.
>Propaganda: Make your message heard near and far and they'll flock to your banners.
>Economic: You'll sell drugs and services until they grow dependent and you can take over. Worked for China.
>Raiding: Strike when they're not prepared, take loot, and live the raider dream
>[Write-in]

Deleted previous post because I fucked up formatting

So, another large update. I wanted to dump some exposition into Phoenix and let you guys choose where we'll be taking this in the near term. Obviously, none of this is binding, but it gives both the Sun Belt Crusaders an idea of where to head and us (mostly me) an idea of what to focus on. Oh, and since it's a new half-week, I need 2d100 for random events.

And speaking of Pervitin, if you guys decide to start fighting, you'll definitely have the choice to hand out meth like candy and go full Perkele.
Remember, only take 1; pic related.

>>4443536
>Gila Bend: Let the more populated areas grind themselves into dust. You'll take smaller areas and come back when you're ready
>Propaganda: Make your message heard near and far and they'll flock to your banners.

>>4443536
>Maricopa: A stable agricultural zone, it's valuable, and will only become more so as chaos amps up in Phoenix
>Propaganda: Make your message heard near and far and they'll flock to your banners.

>>4443536
>Maricopa: A stable agricultural zone, it's valuable, and will only become more so as chaos amps up in Phoenix
>Propaganda: Make your message heard near and far and they'll flock to your banners.

>>4443536
>Maricopa: A stable agricultural zone, it's valuable, and will only become more so as chaos amps up in Phoenix
>Propaganda: Make your message heard near and far and they'll flock to your banners.
Also send scouts to Gila Bend to see what their trouble is exactly

How has OP dealt with the problem of nukes?

>>4443536
>Maricopa: A stable agricultural zone, it's valuable, and will only become more so as chaos amps up in Phoenix
>Propaganda: Make your message heard near and far and they'll flock to your banners.

Control a radio tower or new station. Should help spread Walter's Message.

We should also send a small scouting/mission to the other areas to keep an eye on opportunities/threats, get the locals used to our presence, etc. (including the Reservation if possible).

>>4443603
>>4443616
>>4443689
>>4443808
>>4444072

OPTIONS SELECTED:
>Maricopa: A stable agricultural zone, it's valuable, and will only become more so as chaos amps up in Phoenix
>Propaganda: Make your message heard near and far and they'll flock to your banners.

Given the scouts' info, you decide that it would be best to expand by propagandizing and making converts. All of the nearby areas are way more populous, and you fear that even the wrath of your screaming, meth fueled crusaders won't be able to make up for the numbers gap. Diplomacy has worked so far, so why fix what isn't broken? And as to where you should focus your efforts, it has to be Maricopa. Phoenix is likely to breakout into bloodshed and insanity, so you decide to avoid the POZ. And Gila Bend is more tempting, but Maricopa is too important to pass up.

You have some ideas for how to spread the message. The most obvious option is to just send a team of missionaries, maybe even going out there yourself. There's also the possibility of getting a radio station up and running. It would be a significant resource sink given your current state of scarcity. Mobile doesn't have a tower itself, and building one would have to be done by scratch by buying supplies from other communities. Or stealing them.

As far as townsfolk can tell you, the only broadcast towers currently operating nearby are in the POZ, the Indian mountains, Maricopa, and the Lewis prison area.

>Construction Option Unlocked:
>Broadcast Tower: Sends messages far and wide to anyone with a car or receiver. Massive boost to propaganda. - 150 WP

One of your more level headed cardinals also makes an interesting suggestion. He wonders if the planes can be used for propaganda. The town has printers and supplies, so it would perhaps be possible to print up a load of propaganda documents and dump them off, like some military forces have done. Of course, this would require a greater degree of integration from the town to use their "airpower".

>Roll 2d100 for random events before continuing

Only a "partial" update, since I need the 2d100 I asked for before to continue. I didn't greentext them, so I can see why they were missed. Once the turn continues, you'll have the options to send out scouts, do constructions, etc. May or may not update later today.

>>4443964
Not sure about OP (since I'm just the new QM), but I have some idea of what happened with the thousands of nukes floating around in the US. You guys, in character, haven't heard anything about that yet. I'm going for a "fog of war" effect where big things happen, but you guys won't necessarily know about them, especially when the faction is still small. I hinted at this with the "global event" roll having an unknown outcome.

Rolled 14, 85 = 99 (2d100)

>>4444625
>Roll 2d100 for random events before continuing
Ok

Rolled 80, 98 = 178 (2d100)

>>4444625

>>4444880
Aww sheit, I wish these were the rolls. The ones we got were kinda shitty.

>>4444773

GLOBAL EVENT: 85
>UNKNOWN
You recall the near assassination of the president, where not only a major bomb was detonated at his location, but also some kind of radioactive agent was used to poison him. You are not sure how that happened, if it did at all. You vaguely remember the news mentioning some kind of tracing done that proved it came from Russia, and that this was tantamount to war. Before the news went dark, you recall something about a blockade being called and a purging of "uncooperative" elements in the USN. You can only imagine some kind of war raging on in Europe. But that's just idle musings about things that may or may not even matter. You have more pressing things to think about.

LOCAL EVENT: 14
>The Raiders of the Sierra Estrella
The morning sun rises east, peeking just above the Sierra Estrella, bathing Arizona in heat and light. Finishing your morning prayers, you go to the newly finished church. With the help of the townsfolk and the burning of some midnight oil, it got done just in time, and you are to begin the ceremony to consecrate it. While you are not a trained priest, you are qualified by virtue of having been chosen by God to lead the crusade to purify the faith and reforge America.

Most of the town gathers in the church. It's crowded and standing room only as you pull out the Bible and begin reading out prayers. Part way through the ceremony, you hear a couple of stray gunshots in the distance. One or two shots isn't a big deal, since it could just be a few yahoos riding down the 238 shooting for fun, but you start hearing more. A lot more.

With a heavy heart, you have to call off the ceremony. Still wearing your robes, you head out surrounded with some armed followers. What you see is a major cause for concern. A large number of men seem to be barreling down to the town from the east, some in ATVs and some in modded pickup trucks. They are firing either at the stationed guards or randomly into the air. One of the guards has already been shot and is being pulled to cover. The rest are shooting at the invaders and trying to stop their rapid advance.

Your Cardinals are already doing the work of either calming down the civilian followers and townsfolk, or organizing the fighters into groups. Luckily, most of the armed folk of Mobile came over to the church for "protection." They thought you would try to pull something on them, but little did anyone know you would have some unexpected guests.

[1/2]

4chan has been giving me trouble posting this update. Hope it goes through...

Rolled 39, 42 = 81 (2d100)

>>4444625

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59 KB JPG

>>4445012
[2/2]

The guards are starting to quickly fall back, having placed the wounded in a safeish spot and moving back to cover. One of the dozen guards got shot in his head, turning it into a scarlet mist. These guys are packing serious firepower, maybe .308 rifles if you had to guess.

The guards end up falling back to the northern section of Mobile, where a group of their militia end up joining them. Two groups end up forming north of the 238, one being the mixed unit of crusaders and militia, and the other being pure militia.

Your forces on the other side are able to muster up about three groups, each of thirty soldiers. One of them is a mixture of your guys and the townsfolk. Two of them are led by a cardinal, and the other is led by yourself.

The enemy, seeing your guys mustering to the south, splits off some of their forces to attack you. As they drive closer, you can see them in better detail. They are unmistakably Native Americans, and very likely the same ones the scouts encountered on their way back from the POZ.

You have no way of knowing their numbers. It could be a couple of dozen, or it could be well past a hundred. They are well armed, probably better than you are, and they're quick in their vehicles. These vehicles grant them some partial cover, but it does make it easier to see and target them. It also probably lowers their accuracy.

Your men have the disadvantage of being less well armed, potentially outnumbered, split up, and caught totally off guard. On the plus sides, your guys have better knowledge of the terrain, better access to cover, and morale. Fanatical morale actually. They are not only defending their homes, but doing so with holy vigor on the day their church opens. You could tell these guys to bayonet charge a machine-gun nest and they'd be more than eager. And with the meth they've been given (for emergency use only!) they could probably make a damn fine charge.

Choose your tactics for the battle:

>Focus Fire: Command your men to focus on specific enemies, allowing you to deal more damage more efficiently. It does allow the enemy to more freely attack you as well.
>Immobilize: Command your men to focus on disabling enemy vehicles by means such as shooting the tires. It may negate their advantage of speed, but it does mean a lower likelihood of damaging the enemy otherwise.
>Fire Free: Let your men engage the enemy as they would normally. Provides no bonuses or penalties.
>Deep Defense: Tell your platoons to fall back to pieces of cover further to the west, creating more of a gap between you and the Indians. Makes it harder for both sides to shoot at each-other, boosting mutual defense. May be seen as cowardly, or may goad the enemy into committing more.
>[Write-In]

And also

>Roll two sets of 2d20

One set for the people in the north and one set for the southern group, where we are.

Battle will last for more than just this 1 set of rolls, btw

>>4445014
>Focus Fire: Command your men to focus on specific enemies, allowing you to deal more damage more efficiently. It does allow the enemy to more freely attack you as well.
Target the lead vehicles, shoot the engine blocks with high power rifles, shoot the cab to take out drivers, shoot the wheel to slow down.

We could box em in if we take out lead and rear vehicles.

Rolled 11, 4 = 15 (2d20)

>>4445014

Rolled 15, 18 = 33 (2d20)

>>4445014
>Focus Fire: Command your men to focus on specific enemies, allowing you to deal more damage more efficiently. It does allow the enemy to more freely attack you as well.

>>4445014
>Focus Fire: Command your men to focus on specific enemies, allowing you to deal more damage more efficiently. It does allow the enemy to more freely attack you as well.

>attacking
>on The Lord's Day
They're gonna lose and the righteousness of our cause shall be vindicated.

Rolled 14 (1d20)

>>4444625
>Lewis prison
Oohhh! There's some potential there...

>>4445022
>>4445023
I think you mean Immobilize, friend. Though with rolls like these, we might as well focus fire.

Pray to the Lord for strength and good fortune.

I snort thy blessings...

>>4445014
It's Cowboys and Indians all over again.

>>Deep Defense: Tell your platoons to fall back to pieces of cover further to the west, creating more of a gap between you and the Indians. Makes it harder for both sides to shoot at each-other, boosting mutual defense. May be seen as cowardly, or may goad the enemy into committing more.

Get us time to reorganize and entrench, potentially negates their numbers, mobility, and firepower, and may make them commit more men for fewer gains.

At the very least we'll recreate Custard's Last Stand...

>>4445014
>>4444625
Propaganda planes are a great idea. We could crop dust meth across the land. Make great propaganda.

Acid too, give'm a little taste of God.

Now that I think about it, we may be able to utilize the plane in this attack. Or a helicopter in later phases.

>>4445022
>>4445040
>>4445068

OPTION SELECTED:
>Focus Fire: Command your men to focus on specific enemies, allowing you to deal more damage more efficiently. It does allow the enemy to more freely attack you as well.

"Focus them down!" you shout to your platoon. "Fear not their bullets. Fear the Lord's wrath if you falter!"

You see the fire in their eyes. The enemy was so brazen as to attack on the Lord's day, and just as services started. The desire for revenge is strong, and not a single man wavers.

>+4 for intense fervor

The troops take cover behind chest high sections of walls, trees, and other assorted features. Instead of tactically ducking up and down, they focus on keeping up a continuous stream of fire. You and the cardinals leading each platoon order the men to focus down particular vehicles, specifically the modded pickup trucks in the front. The best weapons you have are semi auto .223's, which are decent.

>No weapon bonus/malus

The Indian "cavalry" travels at high speeds, their tires kicking up dust and sand. And as if this wasn't enough, they're coming from the mountains to the east in the morning, so the sun shines right in your eyes. The Indians sure are clever.

>-3 for obfuscated enemies

One of the platoons lead by a cardinal is mixed with Mobile townsfolk, who know the terrain well. They hold their fire until the vehicles they target are in predetermined, advantageous locations, giving them an edge in the fight.

>+1 for partial home-field advantage

>Final Result: 18 + 2 = 20

>Great Success

The Lord is with you today. Your men hold steady and one by one focus down the vehicles. Even as the Indians gun down your troops, every one keeps his calm. Your group manages to kill one of the drivers, disabling the vehicle. The Native Americans inside only barely manage to not crash, with the end result being them having to take cover behind the wreck and the overall advance slowing.

The mixed group manages something similar, shooting one of the engines to hell and back, disabling the car. Keeping up the momentum, they focus down the passengers, killing most of them before continuing the barrage on others.

The third group turns its attention towards an ATV heading towards the group at max speed. They seem to have had Molotov's ready to flush the defenders out of cover, but by God's blessing, they manage to shot it down early, causing the whole thing to go up in flames and causing chaos.

The smells of gunpowder and charred flesh begin permeating the battlefield. The southern group has managed to successfully withstand the shock tactics used by the natives, and have totally turned the tables on them. Half of their forces seem to be dead or immobilized. The other half are wavering and look to be ready to retreat. You do not know how many are dead on your side, and there's no time to count. It's not as bad as it could have been, but the bold strategy certainly caused a fair few deaths for your men as well as theirs.

[1/3]

>>4446476
[2/3]

With the enemy charge halted and the battle slowing down on this front, you have the opportunity to check up on the other one.

You can see a path of shot up cover and a clear movement of the northern group deeper into the town. Without the time to organize a proper plan, you guard and the Mobile militia fall back, taking advantage of the more urban setting. While the powerful rifles of the natives easily penetrate walls, they still can't see anything or get good shots in, except when people move between pieces of cover.

>Northern group independently selects tactic: Deep Defense

While the townsfolk don't have the same kind of insane morale as your crusaders, they're still doggedly fighting for their homes against a foreign threat. While the shock tactics are discombobulating, the early warning from the guards prove to be just barely enough for them to get an organized group together.

>+2 bonus for home terrain morale boost

The strategy of falling back they chose has a few effects. First and foremost, it saves lives. But it also moves the fighting to a more urban setting. This is one where the home-field advantage is strongest and where the opponent is less obscured from debris, the sun, or whatever else.

>+2 for familiar terrain
>-1 for partially obscured enemies

Unfortunately, this is also where there is the potential for significant amounts of collateral damage and the risk of civilian casualties. Just something to keep in mind.

>Rolled 11 + 3 = 14

>Decent Success

The northern group manages to goad one of the vehicles into pushing too far and scores an easy kill on the driver, causing the pickup to veer into a ditch and right into a landfill. The passengers are easily dispatched. Unfortunately, another vehicle slips through close enough for an Indian to lob a Molotov before driving back out of range. You can't tell if it got anyone.

What is important, though, is that the situation in northern Mobile has stabilized. The Indians don't want to fully commit in the urban terrain, and seem content to engage in a firefight from a distance while attempting the occasional mad Molotov toss. The northern fighters are holding the line and are in a much better spot than before. As with the south, the shock tactics have not broken the defense.

>>4446478
[3/3]

You think momentarily about how to continue the battle, of course knowing that you can only issue orders to your side of the battlefield. The following options come to mind immediately:

>Big Heroes: Disengage from the fighting and move over to the north to help out your allies
>No Retreat: Focus on the vehicles still moving and prevent as many Indians from getting away as you can.
>Hold the Line: Issue no specific orders, just keep things going as they are.
>PERVITIN PERKELE: Order everyone to take some meth and perform a batshit insane charge.
>[Write-in]

>Roll two sets of 2d20 for each group (north and south)

The battle should last for a bit longer after the next update, but I guess it depends on what you guys choose and how the dice go. And as always, feedback on the formatting or structure is always welcome if you have any. I'm trying shit out and seeing what works.

>>4445487
If you guys could have seen the attack coming in advance and had the trust of the town, you could totally do shit with the little "air force." There're all sorts of creative uses for planes

>>4446482
>No Retreat: Focus on the vehicles still moving and prevent as many Indians from getting away as you can.

PERKELE for later when they can't outrun us.

Rolled 15 (1d20)

>>4446482
>No Retreat: Focus on the vehicles still moving and prevent as many Indians from getting away as you can.

Rolled 2, 17 = 19 (2d20)

>>4446549
+1

Rolled 12 (1d20)

>>4446482
I guess we need 1 more d20...
nat 1 GO

>>4446482
>>No Retreat: Focus on the vehicles still moving and prevent as many Indians from getting away as you can.
>PERVITIN PERKELE: Order everyone to take some meth and perform a batshit insane charge.
It'll leave a lasting impression. Thy Lord decree Shock and Awe, and may God have mercy on thy heathen soul, for I shall not.

I like the formatting of the battle btw, it keeps it free-flowing and allows for creativity.

>>4446489
>>4446549
>>4446627
>>4446655
>>4446982

OPTION SELECTED:
>No Retreat: Focus on the vehicles still moving and prevent as many Indians from getting away as you can.

"Focus on the vehicles!" you order your troops. "We'll get to the rest later."

Invigorated by the momentum of success, your troops stand firm and continue their attack. As ordered, they focus on the vehicles, courage unwavering.

>+4 for intense fervor (unchanged)

A constant barrage of bullets fly towards the Indian side of the battlefield, mostly directed at the pickups and ATVs. The dismounted Indians fire on your troops and get a good many hits in, but your men largely keep their cool and focus on causing as much damage possible. The enemy is largely moving back, and their previous advantage of speed and evasiveness is lowered as they slow down to start making their way back.

>-1 for enemy evasiveness (better)

As before, the mixed townsfolk-crusader platoon uses the terrain to its advantage. This time, the townsfolk tipped off the rest of the platoon that one of the ATVs was about to cross a deceptively steep slope. The ATV ended up slowing down significantly, allowing for a devastating barrage which ended up not only disabling the vehicle, but slaughtering those aboard.

>+1 for partial home-field advantage (unchanged)

>Final Result: 17 + 4 = 21

>Great Success

The enemy entered the battle relying on shock tactics. When successful, this means breaking the enemy's will to fight and overwhelming them, resulting in a quick, decisive battle that destroys the opponent at little cost. When unsuccessful, it means charging into death. This was a case of the latter.

The enemy came in strong with their vehicles and expected an easy win. What they didn't expect was a rapid, focused, and unwavering defense. One by one, their vehicles were focused down and disabled, and rather than committing fully to the blitz, they reversed direction. Even under fire from dismounted or retreating enemies, you kept your southern group kept up fire on the vehicles. Most of the enemies are now dismounted and have taken defensive positions behind the disabled husks. A few vehicles remain and seem to be in a full rout, but the fighting overall has stalled out into a firefight between two forces behind cover. And even though you have sustained significant casualties, yours is now clearly outnumbering them. At least on this front.

To the north, however, the battle line has advanced. The Indians are now well within the town. While Mobile has a low population and is spaced out, there are still civilians caught out in the crossfire. The two ad hoc platoons to the north, still at essentially full strength, do their best to focus on enemies protecting the town.

[1/2]

File: Burning Vehicle.jpg (132 KB, 1200x630)

132 KB JPG

>>4447702

[2/2]

>Northern group independently selects the tactic: Guard the Weak
>Guard the Weak: Focus on enemies threatening civilians at the cost of marginally reduced damage inflicted and marginally increased damage taken

The mounted Indians decide to move further into the town while tossing Molotovs, causing chaos. Smoke and panic fills the air as a building catches fire, one that apparently had civilians hiding in it. The mostly townsfolk platoons drop their plan of protecting themselves and taking opportune shots for a determined counterattack centered on removing the immediate threat. They are galvanized and fight like mad.

>+3 home terrain morale boost (better)

The Indians, still in good condition on this front, take advantage of their mobility and lack of suppression from the platoons by sending a group to maneuver around perform a flanking maneuver. Largely unopposed, they manage to perform the bold maneuver with only a single hitch: the flames they used in the initial advance make it hard to aim and take advantage of the flame.

>-4 from being flanked (mitigated)

>Final Result: 15 - 1 = 14

>Decent Success

>Thank God that 2 wasn't a 1

The effort to save the civilians from the fire is successful. A dozen or so fighters move out into the open street where they escort out what looks to be a family. An ATV sees them and barrels down the road, intending on dropping a Molotov on the group and dealing a decisive blow. Just in time, a well placed shot to the driver causes the vehicle to careen out of control, crashing into a wall.

As that threat is taken care of, another vehicle makes a pass at the group, unleashing a torrent of lead on the unprepared group. Multiple people are shot as they return fire and get between the vehicle and the family. If not for suppressive fire laid down by the other platoon, they would have likely been gunned down. The group does manage to get the family to relative safety, although they have been severely damaged.

The scene is one of chaos as the enemy has fully committed to the fight in the town, intending on breaking the defense. The defense has seemingly put up a good fight, managing to inflict a good many casualties on the invaders with acceptable losses on their side. The town itself has sustained significant damage from fire (gun or otherwise) and is not safe enough for emergency response to do anything.

The battle in the south has stalled into a defensive shooting match in your favor, while the urban fighting in the north rages on. You choose to adopt the following tactic:


>Fire Free: Play it safe and let your men shoot out the enemy as they would normally.
>Big Heroes: Disengage most of your men and go north to help your allies being flanked.
>Lord's Mercy: Give the natives you're fighting a chance to surrender, offering to take them prisoner.
>PERVITIN PERKELE: Take some meth pills and go into melee with a batshit insane charge.
>[Write-In]

And of course

>Roll 2 sets of 2d20

Rolled 7, 11 = 18 (2d20)

>>4447703
>PERVITIN PERKELE: Take some meth pills and go into melee with a batshit insane charge.
It begins!

>>4447703
>>PERVITIN PERKELE: Take some meth pills and go into melee with a batshit insane charge.

Bliz these Indians, break their will, then we can surround those in the town and support the Northern defenders. We can consider the Lord's Mercy then.

Rolled 7, 19 = 26 (2d20)

>>4447703
>PERVITIN PERKELE: Take some meth pills and go into melee with a batshit insane charge.

File: FIX BAYONETS.png (70 KB, 262x300)

70 KB PNG

>>4447710
>>4447764
>>4447906
OPTION SELECTED:
>PERVITIN PERKELE: Take some meth pills and go into melee with a batshit insane charge.

The enemy shattered into small groups of disorganized, demoralized men hiding behind the disabled husks of their vehicles. Now, it's time to clean up the battlefield.

"FIX BAYONETS," you shout. "THE HEATHENS SHALL FEEL OUR HOLY WRATH!"

Your men know what this means. They pull out melee weapons or attach knives to their firearms. A good majority of them also take a pill of meth. Make specifically for battle use, they have a very quick onset and soon enough there are about two platoons worth of meth addled religious fanatics with bayonets.

>+4 for intense fervor
>+5 for meth fueled bayonet charge

The mixed platoon ends up acting independently of your orders. Over the course of the battle, the townsfolk half pulled the rest of the unit northwards, and they made the independent decision to not go through with the meth charge. This is in large part due to the fact that most of their unit doesn't actually have any on hand.

>-4 for partial strength

The last point is of no solace to the Indian forces, who peek out from their partial cover to see the faces of the Sun Belt Crusaders. As gallant, lionhearted, and bloodthirsty of any of the crusaders of old, the psychological effect is devastating.

>+2 for psychological effect

>Final Result: 19 + 7 = 26
>Extreme Success

In any normal situation, charging at enemies with guns with close combat weapons over a patch of open desert would be suicide. This is not a normal situation. Disoriented, disorganized, and devastated by the failure of their mechanized charge, the resistance is meager at best. Some of the Indians manage to get a few shots in that barely slow down the crusaders. Most of them just turn tail and run.

Even at only partial strength, your men overrun the numerically superior foe. One by one, the groups are cut down in their improvised defensive positions or skewered while fleeing. To a man, the enemy is cut down, their bodies littering the desert and their blood evaporating in the scorching heat.

As far as you can tell, there are no casualties on your side. Of course, it's possible, probable even, that some of them sustained wounds and don't even feel it. It doesn't matter. The fighting is decisively over in your favor. At least in the south.

[1/???]

>>4449383
[2/???]

In the north, the battle rages on. The enemy has fully committed to wiping out the northern forces and taking hold of the main part of Mobile. The militia forces have managed to stall the advance and prevent civilian death. Unfortunately, their plan has resulted in them being flanked.

Knowing their disadvantageous position, they take up defensive positions.

>Northern group independently selects the tactic: Hunker Down
>Hunker Down: Use a building as cover, greatly increasing cover and resistance to small arms fire at the cost of offensive capability

Beset from multiple sides, the two platoons converge and form one whole to prevent a defeat in detail. Under the cover of billowing smoke, they take refuge in the local police station. They had next to no time to do any real fortification, but the local head of law enforcement is part of the militia, so they are able to quickly figure out good places to take position.

>+3 for good defensive position

The police station make the northern group nearly invulnerable to gunfire. Molotovs, however, mean that the Indians still pose a major threat. The militia is spread thin as they attempt to gun down advancing vehicles, which requires enough of a concentration of force to have a decent shot at disabling an engine or shooting an often hard to pin down driver. The enemy is emboldened and fights effectively.

>-3 for being outnumbered against superior mobility
>-2 for emboldened enemy

The militia fights doggedly, knowing that they are the first and only real line of defense from this army. They're not sure where exactly they came from or why, but they know they have to fight with every ounce of their being. And they do.

>+4 home terrain boost (increased)

Try as they might though, they can't hold the advance back. A vehicle nears the station, and despite the militia getting a good many hits in, a Molotov still lands through a broken window wreathes the area in flame and smoke. Much of the defensive value of the building is negated and the smoke hinders the militia.

>-2 for enemy use of fire
>-2 for visual obstruction

>Final Result: 11 -2 = 9
>Narrow Defeat
>...
>Or is it?

>>4449384
[3/???]

As the fire rises, the militia is forced to abandon one side of the building. The Indians keep up the pressure and start inflicting major casualties. They take significant casualties themselves, but the momentum is on their side, and their victory seems to be a forgone conclusion.

>+4 for southern reinforcements

>Final Result: 9 + 4 = 13
>Limited Success

Out of nowhere, the thunder of guns emerges from seemingly nowhere. The breakaway attachment from the south has made their way to the north. The strategy of holding out in the police station failed to stop the Native American assault, but it did buy enough time to be saved.

The northern forces were on both sides tired and fighting on fumes from the rolling nature of the battle, going from the outskirts of Mobile to the interior. The southern forces, which largely remained stationary, was in much better shape by comparison. They managed to get good shots on the vehicles, both disabling them and giving the main force an opportunity to escape.

This latest push was again rebuffed, and the natives were now in too deep to fall back. There is too much chaos, too much fire and uncertainty to make organized retreat possible. One by one, the balance of power shifts in favor of the Mobile Militia and the crusaders.

The attackers consolidate their numbers and end up taking the defense like cornered rats. A stalemate prevails.

You choose to adopt the following t-

"DEUS VULT!"

File: Deus Vult (or how you guy(...).jpg (85 KB, 720x720)

85 KB JPG

>>4449385
[4/4]

>+8 for spillover from the southern charge

>Final Result: 13 + 8 = 21
>Decisive Success

A cry breaks through the chaos. The battle dragged on long enough that the meth fueled crusaders in the south had time to make their way north after finishing the charge. While they were also tired and in rough shape, they were too high to give a shit.

Bloodstained bayonets glisten in the desert sun as the last of the forces pour into the fray. The slaughter is absolute. A few of the natives try to surrender, but the meth fueled crusaders know that God knows his own. And the townsfolk don't bother stopping them to protect those who have wreaked such havoc on the town.

>Battle Concluded
>Crusader/Militia Victory

The battle is finally over. You have only just arrived personally, but can already see the volunteer firefighter brigade doing its best to mitigate the damage and the militia start getting out of the way to tend to their wounded. Civilians start peeking out, and the braver among them get out there and help however they can.

During all of this, you catch sight of the mayor, who was apparently one of the militia in the thick of things. He gives you a nod, acknowledging your presence but having more important things to tend to. You'll be meeting with him later.

You take the crusaders and manage to get them out of the town proper and back on the other side of the 238. They're definitely in the come down phase, and in no shape to be doing anything but resting up or being tended to. Some of them are showing signs of dehydration while others are only now feeling the effects of wounds that require treatment.

Most of your non combatant followers are tending to the situation, but some of them are available for general use. They look to you for guidance and are ready to do what you say.

What do you command the available followers to do?

>Haul ass north and help the town however they can
>Do what they can to help in treating the wounded
>Start picking over the battlefield remains, seeing if there's anything useful
>Stay in the church and pray for the souls of the dead and living alike
>[Write-in]

So, that's over. I had some extra free time I was going to use to try and squeeze out an extra update, but I ended up just browsing through pics of people charging with bayonets and other shit. I think for future battles I'll keep the structure of just selecting general tactics and letting the rest play on "autopilot." Because holy shit would it be a slog to micromanage everything, like listing out specifically how many troops you want doing what and how etc etc. Any simpler, and I think the battle would lose the feeling of chaos and being in the thick of things since you need to be on a smaller scale for that. Ah, whatever, I'm ranting now...

Oh, and I almost didn't post this because my Internet almost died. If I don't make a post, assume it's the Internet or something and not me flaking.

>>4449386
>All the above

>Haul ass north and help the town however they can
>Do what they can to help in treating the wounded
>Start picking over the battlefield remains, seeing if there's anything useful
>Stay in the church and pray for the souls of the dead and living alike

>Send a group out to Overwatch the crusaders and the town.

Have the Cardinals split off civilians as they need them do accomplish these tasks, priority being helping out the town and treating our wounded. Prayer and Overwatch groups should be able to rest up and rotate with the other groups as needed. When all the pressing problems are taken care of, we can take stock of the situation later.

The Messager should also decide how he'll like to spend his time as well.

I understand how you'd like to do the combat, it makes some real sense. I wouldn't want to get too bogged down in the details either.

Good luck with your internet btw.

>>4449386
>>4449513
My vote for the Messagers personal time use, as all the options sound good and I'm indecisive at the moment.

Rolled 4 (1d4)

>>4449386
>>4449522
Damnit phone, stop fucking up my dice rolls

>>4449513
support

>>4449513
So, not sure if this was made clear, but there's not a lot of people available to order around since most civvies are already trying to help independently. At best you could split into two groups without each group being too small to meaningfully do anything. This is basically to determine what the "priority" is or if you guys want to do a wildcard option like combing over the battlefield early or doing prayer. And as a note if you're doing overwatch (definitely an option), these guys are untrained and unfit for any real battle in the unlikely event it occurs.

>>4449386
>Do what they can to help in treating the wounded
We've already lost enough people today

>>4449691
Ah. Thank you for clarifying things. I thought we had more civilians on hand than we actually did.

>>4449386
>Haul ass north and help the town however they can
>Do what they can to help in treating the wounded

The two priorities remain. Keep some people behind to treat the wounded, but greater priority should be given to the town, as thing would get easier if they were better intergrated with us.

While it would be nice to scavenge the battle, it can be done tomorrow, and while we could pray later that night, God rewards those that take action and initiative rather than those who simple pray for guidance.

You make a great point about the Overwatch suggestion as well. I simply forgot that meth takes a lot out of people as well.

>>4449386
>Most of your non combatant followers are tending to the situation, but some of them are available for general use. They look to you for guidance and are ready to do what you say.

I have seen the error of my ways. I pray to the Lord for my faulty perception, and ask for his forgiveness.
Snorts some leftover meth.
I already feel the Lord's forgiveness flowing through me. Bless him for his kindness.

Also, could we use Holy Water to create some Holy Meth? Just asking for a friend...

>>4449831
>>4449844
Combining these votes for an "early" update

Options Selected
>Haul ass north and help the town however they can
>Do what they can to help in treating the wounded

You are torn between rendering aid to the fighters and helping out in the north. You decide that both are too important to shirk on and put resources into both. You order about half of them, mostly the young, to help with one of the cardinals who has organized the relief. He is thankful for the extra hands and puts them to use in fetching water, handing supplies, and other minor tasks. You take the rest, the generally more capable, and move up north.

Today you and your followers have been going all over the place and are reaching their limits. Still, the urgency of the tasks at hand and the high of victory gives them the strength they need to continue. The scene in the center of town is not good, but it's not actually as bad as you expected it to be. The streets are littered with blood and bodies and are wreathed in flames, but it's largely contained. The fighting ended more quickly than expected due to the timely arrival of the mixed platoon and the later arrival of the main army, meaning the fires didn't have time to spread truly out of control.

You and the group you lead lend their support. The help is appreciated and has a decent effect. Not as much as if you had brought everyone, but nobody's complaining.

The effort goes well into the afternoon. The whole community is basically gassed out and in desperate need of a break. With the fires out and situation stable, the elderly and children bring food and everyone breaks for lunch. You have a good opportunity to hear what the townsfolk think.

"Thank God we're finally safe."

"Fuckin' hell, I thought we were dead."

"Why did those guys even attack us?"

As you're breaking bread with the townsfolk, a familiar face comes into view. The mayor pulls up a chair and sits in front of you. He's looking worse for wear, with one of his sleeves ripped off and the upper arm bandaged, but he has a determined, defiant look in his eyes.

"Got any idea on what those guys're after?"

"No," you respond. "Other than them seeing us as an easy target."

"Well, they sure made a mistake. God damn yer guys put up a hell of a fight. Is it true you guys managed to kill off everyone on your side of things?"

"It is true. We held our ground, disabled their vehicles, and charged them down with cold steel like the crusaders of old," you say with a hint of righteous pride.

"Really, I don't give a shit how you got the job done, but I'm impressed. By all rights we had our goose cooked, but we managed to push those damn bastards out." He reaches his hand into a cooler and pulls out a beer, offering it to you. You politely decline, and he cracks it open for himself. "I wasn't sure if you guys would pull through on your agreement, but you sure did. To the Crusaders!" he toasts as he drinks up.

[1/3]

>>4450344
[2/3]

The defense of the town has won the goodwill of the people, and you are certain this has had the silver lining of massively helping integration. You believe you can now reliably take advantage of the small airfield and can safely assume Mobile will help out materially.

>Airfield access secured
>Mobile will now partially contribute W.P.

As always, integration means not only taking benefits, but taking responsibilities. The town is damaged and work will need to be done in order to fully repair it to how it was before.

>Construction Options Unlocked:
>Mobile Repair - 200 WP (Cost will slowly decline over time, representing townsfolk independently doing repairs)

After the lunch break, everyone begins the process of dealing with the dead. The fighting in the north was heavy, and there are substantial casualties. Among your forces there are less dead, some of them due to grievous wounds that were ignored and exacerbated in the huge charge in the end. The count is 8 dead on your side and about 19 on the Mobile side.

The enemy casualties dwarf yours. In total, there are 78 dead bodies littering the land, slumped over in vehicles, or charred by their own flames. Few managed to flee successfully, and no prisoners were taken. They wore little armor, but mostly carried large caliber rifles your people manage to salvage. You are able to immediately upgrade your troops' weaponry and the old weapons can be traded for other goods, representing 20 W.P. The vehicles also have various supplies in them such as spare fuel, medical supplies, and spare ammunition, all representing about another 20 W.P.

The big prize however is in the vehicles themselves. While some of them are shot beyond repair, they still have valuable parts in most cases. A shot engine will often have a perfectly good alternator, a vehicle with a heavily damaged engine block can have its tires salvaged, etc etc. In total, you expect that given some effort, you can repair enough vehicles to have a fully functional "mechanized platoon." Even after that, you can have about 30 W.P. worth of spare parts and salvage. Repairing the vehicles, however, would take focus away from construction.

>Construction Option Unlocked:
>Mechanized Platoon Repairs - Free (takes time away from other projects)

The day closes out with church services a little later than normal. Most of the town is either busy with important work, too wounded to show up, or too deep in the come-down phase. After performing services, you head back to the chemical plant HQ with the cardinals and plan out the course of action for the next half-week.

>Available Manpower:
~60 available trained fighters (2 platoons)
~30 temporarily unavailable fighters (1 platoon)
70 followers

>Wealth:
110 Wealth Points
+15 WP per half-week from followers
+15 WP per half-week from Mobile contribution
12 Food Units
-10 Food from consumption per half week
+6 Food from 1 farm (another one is under construction)

>>4450349
[3/3]

>Projects:

>Construction: Unless stated otherwise, assume 1 week to complete. Select at most 1:
Firing Range: Helps in training. - 25 WP
Improved Housing: Can support a larger population. Slightly improves morale. - 25 WP
Highway Defenses: Can stop vehicles on the 238. Bonus in defending the town. - 35 WP
Farm: Makes more food. - 35 WP
Chemical Plant Level 1: Allows for large scale meth production. Unlocks chemistry options. - 100 WP
Mechanized Platoon Repairs: Turns a regular platoon into a more effective mechanized one - Free (takes up a construction opportunity/time away from other projects)
Mobile Repair: Boosts Mobile townsfolk W.P. generation. Will be a major help in integration. - 200 WP (Cost will slowly decline over time, representing townsfolk independently doing repairs)
Broadcast Tower: Sends messages far and wide to anyone with a car or receiver. Massive boost to propaganda. - 150 WP
[Write-in]

>Diplomatic Action: Select at most 1:
Mobile Integration: Focus on building relations in the community of Mobile to help integrate them into the Sun Belt Crusaders.
Envoy: Send a diplomatic envoy to a location to engage in trade, propagandize, or make agreements. Better at getting deals than scouts, but has no stealth and is worse if a fight breaks out. Select from the Gila Bend, Maricopa, Indian Mountains, or a [Write-in]
Scouting: Have the group organize a scouting party and explore a location. Stealthy and decent at a fight, but not very good if diplomacy is needed. Select from the Gila Bend, Maricopa, Indian Mountains, or a [Write-in]
Raiding Party: Send a platoon or two out to the Indian Mountains and take revenge (penalty without a mechanized platoon due to distance/terrain)
[Write-in]

>Policies:

>Airfield Policy:
Retool: Spend 10 W.P. a half week to increase cargo space to improve payload potential or transport capacity in case a need arises.
Test Flights: Fly a few test flights to build experience without attracting undue attention.
Leave it Be: Don't bother messing around with the planes, there are bigger priorities.

>Select construction, diplomatic action, and policy
>Roll 2d100 for random events

So, this concludes the first major battle in the quest. Wasn't expecting it to trigger when it did, but eh, blame the dice. You guys came out of it pretty well, to be honest.


>>4449844
>>4449856
"Takes a lot of out people" is one way to look at it. After the initial effect, you're basically unable to fight well for at about a day. Ideally, you want to use it as a "finisher" to end a fight or to outlast the opponent in a fight of attrition as a last resort.

>>4450349
>12 Food Units
>-10 Food from consumption per half week
>+6 Food from 1 farm (another one is under construction)
That other farm better be done soon. I'd start rationing until then though.

>>4450351
>Highway Defenses: Can stop vehicles on the 238. Bonus in defending the town. - 35 WP
This is obviously needed, especially with potential assault from the indians and others, and the biker gang
>Envoy: Send a diplomatic envoy to a location to engage in trade, propagandize, or make agreements. Better at getting deals than scouts, but has no stealth and is worse if a fight breaks out. Select from the Gila Bend, Maricopa, Indian Mountains, or a [Write-in]
Time to open communications with Maricopa and do some light advertising
>Test Flights: Fly a few test flights to build experience without attracting undue attention.
It's either get better at projecting our presence, or get projected on.

Rolled 55 (1d100)

>>4450540
Forgot dice

>>4450540
support

>>4450897
Roll pls

Rolled 14 (1d100)

>>4450922
sy

>>4450540

>>4450351
Supporting >>4450540

It's a good plan atm, though we should think about getting another Farm or the Mechanized Platoon ready next, then repair Mobile, then focus on getting our drug production going.

On the diplomacy side of things we should either consider communicating with Gila Bend (see if we can get them on side for cheap) or the Indians (both asking why the attacked us and maybe use a bit of intimidation to strong-arm to our side of things [a long shot, but the Lord does work in mysterious ways]) next.

>>4450928
>14
Wew. Wonder what that'll affect...
May the Lord give strength and wisdom to those who need it.[\spoiler]

>>4450540
>>4450544
>>4450897
>>4450922
>>4450928
>>4451045

LOCAL EVENT: 55
>No News - Good News
The past week has been intense, to put it mildly. The integration of the town was a risky move that could have gone any which way and it was immediately tested by a massive vehicular assault by the Sierra Estrella Native Americans. Dozens of bodies littered the fields, large amounts of loot and debris had to be cleared up, and everyone was put on edge, not knowing what tomorrow would bring. Fortunately, there was no random attack, no windfall, no unforeseeable strange event. Slowly, everyone starts breathing easy as some sense of normality emerges.

Sometimes, no news really is good news.

GLOBAL EVENT: 14
>UNKNOWN
As the country descended into the chaos of civil war, other world powers took the opportunity to settle some longtime scores. You recall hearing that Indian forces surged into the disputed mountain region and that a real, all out war with the Chinese was imminent. With the de facto Chinese takeover of California, if the conflict doesn't get settled decisively, it's possible the effects could spill over into the Golden State. As of now, you have no way of knowing what specifically is going on, but you have a feeling something's afoot.

>Construction Selected:
>Highway Defenses:
After the last attack, everyone agrees that defenses have to be shored up. Trying to fully guard the entire town with physical barriers is too big of a project with the sheer amount of open desert and the lack of resources. Guarding the 238, however, is a much more realistic proposition. Most vehicles that aren't modded won't be able to travel effectively across the open terrain, so a few watchtowers and the ability to blockade the highway is useful. Especially if those bikers or some other faction decide to show up.

Construction begins and should be completed the next half-week.

[1/2]

File: Spoiler Image (434 KB, 1920x1080)

434 KB JPG

>>4451901
[2/2]

>Airfield Policy Selected:
>Test Flights
Your faction gained a lot of trust from the previous battle. While the agreement you made with the mayor was specifically about the bikers, that was only because he didn't know about the marauding Native American war-bands. Your men are given permission to take advantage of the airstrip. What you find is a handful of propeller planes, or 'crop dusters' as folks around here put it. Stores of fuel are actually very full, since the airstrip was used for training jet pilots who only managed to evacuate the planes themselves, leaving the fuel.

Knowing the potential of air-power, you decide to have the sole flight instructor in the town begin training the few people in town who have minor experience flying. Getting them to be actual pilots capable of flying well independently will take weeks, even with prior experience. It might attract some attention, and you know flying anywhere past the local area is asking for trouble, but it should be worth it.

>Diplomatic Action Selected:
>Envoy to Maricopa. Focus on spreading the word.
As planned before, you send off an envoy to Maricopa to assess the situation, make some deals, and hopefully win converts. A small group, including one of your cardinals, gets into a truck and drives east along the 238 to Maricopa. The cardinal has been given full authority to make choices as if it were you present, and he happens to be one of the better negotiators among your advisors.

>TEMPORARY POV SWITCH: Diplomatic Cardinal

>Select a name, personality, and background for the cardinal to be doing the negotiations. All he has to be is a halfway sane dude who joined a pseudo-Catholic order of meth slinging crusaders.
>If you guys don't come up with something, I'll just call him Saul. Yes, that one, pic related. Pls don't make me do this
>Or do. I'm actually down with making most major faction characters a port from BB. I just want to see if you guys have any cool ideas.

>>4451045
Lucky that 14 was on the Global Events roll. Although, you guys might have come out fine just like before, who knows

>>4451901
>With the de facto Chinese takeover of California, if the conflict doesn't get settled decisively, it's possible the effects could spill over into the Golden State.

This could be a problem... or an opportunity.

>>4451904
I don't mind playing as Saul from BB. It'll be pretty neat. But I would like to thow my hat into the ring, so to speak.

>Bob Musella
>Mindful, caring, quiet, potential uninhibited, honest even if it's selective[\spoiler]
>a well-connected money launder and party madlad, he was the Messenger's sort-of friend turned ally before the chaos turned up to eleven. In reality he's Rober Mazur, an undercover DEA agent who just got swept away in the chaos. He was going to bust the Messager before he was saved(interpret that as you will) by him in the ensuing madness that was the flight from California.

I'm open to other suggestions as well, and I'm fine with whatever the group picks.

I really need to figure out how to properly spoiler my words. Sorry about the mess lads.

>>4452337
This is pretty good.
To link him to one of the earlier cardinals, do you think he'd be cardinal 4?
>>4438505
>1: meth addict cardinal / morale cardinal
>2: meth dealer cardinal / money-motivated cardinal
>3: planning-oriented war cardinal
>4: planning-oriented peace cardinal
>5: "doesn't make plans until he has all the info" cardinal

>>4452389
Yes, I do believe that would best fit his character. A good man in a fucked situation, desperately pretending to be something he's not or he's slowly turning into.

I also imagine that Saul would be the money-motivated cardinal. And Jessie the meth addicted cardinal. That is, if we decided to go the Breaking Bad route.

>>4451904
Some heavy construction machinery would be nice (bulldozer, diggers, dump truck, etc.). It'll be a bitch to get them back here but it'll do wonders for our construction projects.

>>4452678
Farming equipment as well.

File: Cardinal Number Four.jpg (11 KB, 270x270)

11 KB JPG

>>4452337
>>4452389
Huh, how have I not heard of this guy (or seen the movie) until just now? I'm pleasantly surprised and will be going with this.

Btw, as a psa, you can spoiler text by highlighting it and pressing ctrl+s in 4chan's text box. It'll do the spoilering automatically.

>>4451904

Your name is Robert "Bob" Musella, and you were the chief money launderer of the meth operation. Your contacts in the world of banking, investment funds, and the Mexican Cartel allowed you to launder the significant sums of money made by the illegal drug trade.

Traits:
>Econ Degree: Formal training in the field of economics and finance unlocks otherwise locked dialogue options and grants you a bonus in trade negotiations
>Cucumber Cool: Grants a bonus to negotiations under threats or pressure.
>Skeptic: Bonus to situations that involve thinking rationally and downplaying the radicalism of the cult.

Actually, that's all a lie. Your real name is Robert Mazur. You're actually not a master money launderer, wizened from years of experience cooking the books for CalPERS. You're an undercover DEA agent who was working to blow the lid on this whole operation. In fact, you were planning the finer points of the "reveal" where you would get every last one of these bastards arrested. But then the president was nearly assassinated, the elections postponed, various federal agencies went rogue, the country collapsed into a civil war, California got turned into a technocratic Chinese vassal state, and... well, a lot more shit you can't even get into. Somewhere along the way, the head of this meth operation decided he was the new Pope or some shit, and you were basically forced to be a cardinal or God knows what. At the time, it wasn't the weirdest thing you had to do (it was nothing compared to that one time with the Bavarian Mountain Goats, for instance). But after being forced out of California, losing contact with the DEA, and being involved in a battle straight out of the Wild West times, you have no fucking clue or control over what's going on anymore. On one hand, you're grateful that you weren't slaughtered in the purge of law enforcement once California was "bought out", but on the other hand, well, these guys are nuts.

Trait:
>Powerful Friends: You know people in both law enforcement and in the Cartel. You are not in contact with them, but if they ever show up, you will have an advantage
>Left Behind: You are living a lie and have been forced to live a lie. You have an entire life left behind, family & all, and must find a way to reconcile this with your new persona turned identity.

You have been sent out to make contact with the citizens of Maricopa, with The Messenger saying something how he "needs to cook." You have full authority to make decisions with his personal authority.

The ride is uneventful, and you find yourself at the "gates" of Maricopa in short order.

[1/2]

>>4453000
[2/2]

A checkpoint has been set up, and armed guards monitor your movements from afar. They're probably too far to kill your entire posse, but are definitely too close for comfort.

"Who are you!" one of the guards shout to the vehicle.

You leave the car visibly unarmed and respond back. "We're from the town of Mobile. We seek trade and a meeting with your leader."

The guards seem to talk among themselves, and soon the checkpoint opens up to allow a few armed men to leave. Their weapons are holstered, but they are still a threat. Keeping your cool, you chat with them as they escort you past the checkpoint and into the outer part of Maricopa.

"So those Injun bastards attacked you guys, and you managed to fight them off?" one of the guards asks incredulously.

"Yes. We engaged them in battle, I was there myself," you say, a half-truth. You were there, but keeping the civilians calm and organizing relief efforts. "They came at us early in the morning on Sunday, just as we were beginning church services."

"Well, good you got them to back off," the guard responds. By this point, you are passing through the fields on the edge of the town. Irrigated by the Gila, the output of this town must be truly prodigious.

"They didn't back off," you say with pride. "We killed damn near all of them. A few escaped in their vehicles, but we got them to commit their forces and trapped them. It was an absolute slaughter."

The guard is yet more incredulous, but you provide details that confirm your story. The rest of your entourage helps with this.

"Well, I'll be damned," the guard says as you are nearing the more populated parts of the town. "Those bastards have been giving us trouble, totally avoiding our checkpoint defenses with their modified vehicles and evading any response. You guys did good work with that, and if you're an enemy of those Mountain Indians, you're a friend to Maricopa."

You enter the town and see a largely intact community. People buy and sell agricultural wares, small industries have popped up, and people are generally in a good mood. Or so it seems. You've just barely gotten here.

There is a lot to do for a first visit in the town. You reckon you have time to completely two actions today before going back or having to stay for an unplanned night. You are being escorted by a guard most of the time, but otherwise the town is yours to explore.

Select what you wish to do with the first half of the day:

>Try to arrange a meeting with the mayor
>Visit the market district and see what kind of goods you can trade for
>Go to the broadcasting center and chat with the people there
>Pay a visit to the "Maricopa Militarized Police"
>Find some slums and see if there are any meth-heads to sell to
>[Write-in] a location that would reasonably be in the town to go to

Btw, I'm pretty damn drunk atm. Like, if I had 1 more shot I'd be knocked out, so sorry if some of this shit comes out a bit incoherent.

>>4453003
>Try to arrange a meeting with the mayor

>>4453003
>>Visit the market district and see what kind of goods you can trade for
"One does not talk with the clerk before browsing the wares." In negotiations, knowledge is power. We should explore our other options(and what they can offer us) in the town before we make our decisions and have our chat with the mayor. It has the added benefit of letting the mayor mentally chew on is abit, developing his own thoughts and opinions on how we conduct ourselves, our intententions in coming here, and what we have to potentially offer him in return. You don't just ask a girl to go out with you when you first meet her, you tease her and show that your not desperate, which make her want you more. (Bonus points if he comes directly to us before we go to him.)

With all this craziness going on, it nice to finally slow down and smell the roses. It feels almost... normal. What an alien experience...

>>4453444
Or we could go to the slums, work our way up form there. Turn it into a bit of a advertising stunt(we being caring religious folk'n all) while getting to know the lay of the land and where to "set up shop", so to speak.

What do you lads think?

>>4453003
>Try to arrange a meeting with the mayor

>>4453003
>Try to arrange a meeting with the mayor

>>4453266
>>4453548
>>4453594
You lads bamboozled me. Bamboozled, I say!
*Head slammed in floor* I've been pulling an all-nighter at work, finally going to get some sleep. Don't know when I'll wake, so best wishes. Y'all don't need luck, for you got the Lord on your side.

File: tenor.gif (3.81 MB, 498x365)

3.81 MB GIF

>>4453655
Man what the fuck are you on?
You sound more fucked up then are soldiers were when we gave them are home made pervitin

>>4453266
>>4453548
>>4453594
OPTION SELECTED:
>Try to arrange a meeting with the mayor

The town of Maricopa is the first stable settlement of any size you've been in for a while. You're tempted to check out the market district (repurposed shopping complex) or pay the slums a visit, but you decide to try and speak with the mayor.

You drive over to the town hall, still under escort. The guard enters the building and returns to allow your entourage inside. They take your weapons and inspect your bag, but and take nothing. They didn't check one of the Bibles enough to find the meth you had hidden there. Your time in the DEA taught you well.

There is a few hour wait until you're allowed to see the mayor. Apparently he has some important business, but you really have no way of knowing if this is a negotiation tactic, buying time to gather info, or the mayor getting a "relaxing massage." Wouldn't be the first time.

You're not allowed to leave the town hall, but you are allowed to wander. You find a rec room where a few people, mostly workers, are relaxing. You join them, introducing yourself as a visitor from Mobile. Surprised at a new face from a new place, they offer you some coffee and chat.

They ask about where you're from, and you tell them about the "Christian community" of Mobile Arizona. You dance around the issue of being a radical cult of crusading meth slingers by mentioning only the bare basics and dropping a hint about how you're not from there. They take the bait and ask where you're really from, and you admit you're a "Californian transplant." They give you shit over it, but it's basic bants.

They also talk about themselves. Firstly, they brag. It's hard to fault them, seeing as how this is a genuinely functioning community. They naturally bring up Phoenix and how it's degenerated into a warzone. There are real anxieties about the conflict spilling over into their area. They keep a constant armed presence to the north, on the 347 linking to the I-10 which leads to Phoenix. They know that even a small fraction of Phoenix's manpower could easily overwhelm their town, even if they number in the thousands.

Tucson, the other major population center in Arizona behind Phoenix, has apparently been having trouble from their south side. Mexicans have been taking advantage of the weakness and leading raids from Nogales. You'd think the U.N. or what's left of the Mexican government would do something, but apparently not. Knowing Nogales from your time in the DEA, you're almost certain the Cartel is involved in this. You keep that last bit to yourself.

They also let slip a minor piece of information about the local Indian community being a separate entity from Maricopa, but one which seems to be on friendly terms. You infer this from a point about the Indian Casino being used as a "border crossing" when one of the locals brags about knowing an "ambassador." These lower level government types would never fit in a federal agency.

[1/2]

>>4454339
[2/2]

You excuse yourself and get back to the main waiting area. It was a good time kill, and there wasn't much waiting left. You are invited inside, alone. Your entourage is made to wait outside and you walk into the mayor's office, just you and your briefcase. You have the usual stuff in there. Bible, meth, secret audio recording equipment, the works.

You walk into a well maintained office with a clean cut man welcoming you in. Behind him, you see a window to the town below flanked by a black and white photograph of some old politician and an oil painting of some Catholic priest. On his desk, there are a few photographs of what you presume is his family, a signed baseball, and a nameplate that reads "Mayor Christopher Preis."

"Welcome, welcome," he says with a smile, extending a hand, which you shake. "So, you're the visitor from Mobile I've been hearing about. They say you guys managed to defend yourselves from one of those Indian raids. Sent them running. That all true?"

"Not quite," you say. "We mostly sent them to the grave."

The mayor gives a hearty laugh, clearly no fan of the Indians. "I like you already, Mister..."

"Musella. Name's Robert Musella."

"Christopher Preis, but I'm guessing the nameplate gave that away." He leans in a bit and looks you in the eye, taking the measure of you. "So, let's get to brass tacks. What made you come here, to Maricopa, to my office?"

>Preach: "I came to spread the Word in these trying times. I'd like your assistance and 'blessings' for the missionary work of my people."
>Trade: "I came to make a deal. We at Mobile are looking to buy a few big ticket items, and I'd like to square away a deal personally."
>Protection: "I came to secure a formal alliance between our peoples. Lord knows us 'small fish' need each-other in these tough times."
>Meth: "I came to get your permission to sell meth to Maricopa and the wider Sun Corridor. You'll get your cut."
>Information: "I came to ask if you have any contact with the wider government, specifically any federal agencies. You know, Customs, DHS, DEA, that sort of thing." This is purely personal.
>[Write-in]: Highly encouraged!

And since this is a negotiation:

>Roll 2d20

>>4454297
He's clearly fucked up on being a wageslave. Hard to fault him... that or he's actually snorting meth, I dunno

Rolled 11 (1d20)

>>4454340
>Preach: "I came to spread the Word in these trying times. I'd like your assistance and 'blessings' for the missionary work of my people."
But also
>Protection: "I came to secure a formal alliance between our peoples. Lord knows us 'small fish' need each-other in these tough times."
The idea being that the alliance is upheld so long as our missionary work is allowed.

Rolled 15 (1d20)

>>4454340
Saw you needed some dice rolls, will read and choose later.

>>4454340
Supporting>>4454620

>>4454340

>>4454620
Supporting

Trade would be nice, but priorities.
We can get our information after business is concluded, when his guard is down.

>>4454297
>>4454340
Hey, sleep deprivation is a perfectly normal high!

>>4454339
>>4454340
I must say, I do appreciate the little details you put in. You be surprised how much of difference it makes in the quality of the storytelling.

>>4454620
>>4454650
>>4455227
>>4455363
OPTION SELECTED:
>Preach: "I came to spread the Word in these trying times. I'd like your assistance and 'blessings' for the missionary work of my people."

"I see," the mayor says, rubbing his chin. "Well, fortunately for you, we're all mostly Christian folks around here. Might find a few atheists or Hindus, but by an' large we're all God fearing folk around here."

"That's good to hear," you say, prepared for something like this. "But it's not just about worshiping God, it's about knowing Him correctly and worshiping Him right. As any Christian worth his salt, such as yourself, knows."

"Ah," he says skeptically. "And what do you mean by that."

"Well, you would want to be part of Christ's church, the one he founded, for starters. That means you're pretty much limited to the one true, holy, apostolic, and Catholic Church."

The mayor gives an incredulous look on hearing that last statement. "A Catholic zealot, eh? Surprised those still exist. I mean, you did hear about the Pope, right? How apparently sided with those Commie nutjobs, moved to unite the Church with all other religions, held services surrounded with twerkers, and said the only people going to Hell were those against his reforms." He leans in and looks you in the eye. "I appreciate the fight, but Catholicism is dead."

> -6 for global collapse of Catholicism

This guy is clearly well informed on recent events if he knows about the Twerk Mass Incident. He's likely a former believer. You pull out your Bible and flip to a part of the Bible that comes to mind.

"Matthew sixteen eighteen," you say. "And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." You haven't actually read the entire Bible, but you have read a lot of quotes over your time infiltrating these guys and you can spin up an argument. "The true Church will never fall, even if the Pope does. If we don't work to restore the Catholic Church, then we're failing Jesus."

> +1 for Bible quote mining

"So, what makes you think you guys will be the ones to restore the Church? Look, I've heard you guys are calling your leader the Messenger and there's something about him being a cardinal or the Pope. I'm going to be honest, you guys seem like a bunch of loons to me if all of that's true."

> -5 for the absurdity of the cult

He's asking questions. Good ones too. Truthfully, you agree with him. But you're in too deep to admit that. "Is the Messenger our new Pope? Well, he is and he isn't," you say, downplaying the idea while legitimizing it. "Communication is largely disrupted, and the man in Saint Peter's Basilica is definitely not the Pope. I mean, inviting, pardon my French, whores to a Mass? C'mon. We have to continue, preserve the church somehow. You take chances, make mistakes, and get messy, knowing the Lord ultimately guides us to salvation." You pause, briefly contemplating your situation before continuing.

[1/2]

>>4455640
[2/2]

"You know, I've had my doubts, these times have really shaken my beliefs," you say more truthfully than he can know, "but I really think it's this is the way forward."

"You know," Mayor Preis says, nodding, "you're a lot more reasonable than I thought you'd be."

>Skeptic Trait: +3 for downplaying the absurdity of the cult

He turns around in his chair and looks at one of the portraits flanking him. It's the oil painting of the Catholic priest. "And it's true that if Catholicism is going to continue, it's sure as hell not going to be with that bastard of a Pope. I haven't been a Catholic for a long time, but fuck me if that didn't get my blood boiling," he let out, clearly mad, before taking a pause and turning back to you. "Sorry for the language."

>Effects of Catholicism's collapse mitigated by personal factors: +3

"I understand. So, you seem to be in support."

"Of your religion? No. it's all bunk. But I am sympathetic to your efforts. At least that faith gave you guys the strength to stay cool and kick those Injuns' asses. if what your men were bragging about's anything to go off of."

>+2 from goodwill from the battle

"It's all true," you say proudly. "I saw people keep fighting even as their men were blown away. And the battle ended in a massed charge, in the crusader tradition, which slaughtered them."

"How about this," he says. "I'll let your people send their people and preach here. But I want something in return too. Those Indians have been raiding us, attacking at the strangest times and places, forcibly taking valuables, gunning down resistance, and fleeing before we can muster our main forces. Every time, they figure the gaps in our defenses and strike. Clearly, we're doing something wrong and your people are doing something right. We want you to launch a raid against their base of operations in the mountains by next week. We're willing to offer some help in selling some modded vehicles at a reduced price, maybe even throw in some weapons on the side. And you'll get a bonus depending on how much damage you can prove you did."

Final Result: 15 - 2 = 13
>Qualified Success...
>But do you want more?

"What do you say, your help in fighting those bastards off and we'll give you guys free reign to preach or do whatever else?"

>"I accept the deal. Also, I'd like to bring up the topic of..." [what topic?]
>"I'd like to negotiate some of those terms. For instance..." [what adjustments?]
>"Let's work out the math on that, which proves we'd be at a disadvantage under current terms. I'd like the following adjustments..." [specify adjustments] [option granted by the Econ Degree trait]
>"Quick question, I'd like to ask about..." [temporarily change topic to what?]
>Write-in [highly encouraged]

And as the talks continue

>Roll 2d20

>>4455582
Can you be a bit more specific on that? I would like to know what kind of things I should focus on since I was considering potentially reducing update lengths and scaling back detail

Rolled 20, 19 = 39 (2d20)

>>4455641
>"Let's work out the math on that, which proves we'd be at a disadvantage under current terms. I'd like the following adjustments..." [specify adjustments] [option granted by the Econ Degree trait]

More guns and modded vehicles at better prices sound good(enough to outfit all our platoons). Mechanical spare parts(not just for our vehicles, but for the factory *wink*). Fuel, farming and heavy construction equipment(potentially a bulldozer or two would be nice). Even better bonus for damage done(we'll bring a camera and take some pictures). Let's see what we can get away with.

>"Quick question, I'd like to ask about..." [temporarily change topic to what?]
>>Information: "I came to ask if you have any contact with the wider government, specifically any federal agencies. You know, Customs, DHS, DEA, that sort of thing." This is purely personal.

Might as well ask it now, my man.

>>4455582
>>4455641
It's the little details here and there that you do naturally. Like the painting of the priest (and the twerking pope schism), or our man going to the lower level office workers to pump info, or the (secret audio recording devices). I can't really pin it down because it's hard to describe, or maybe I'm just piss poor at explaining it. I'll try to pinpoint it later, and I'm sorry I could be of more help.

>>4455846
>nat 20

God never fails to bless his chosen people. (It'll be funny if we converted the man by talking economics).

>>4455846
I forgot to ask if they have any heavy firepower they'd be willing to part with, but I'm more than happy with the results.

Next up, the Militarized Police force. Gotta see what's up there.

Uh, lads? You still alive out there? If you got other ideas, I'd love to hear them.

File: Father Kino.jpg (121 KB, 800x450)

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>>4455846

OPTION SELECTED:
>"Let's work out the math on that, which proves we'd be at a disadvantage under current terms. I'd like the following adjustments..." [specify adjustments] [option granted by the Econ Degree trait]
>Adjustments: Primarily more military equipment, with substantial economic support and more back-loaded bonuses

"Can I have a pen and some paper," you ask. He nods, and you grab the stationery from the desk.

You start jotting down figures based on reasonable estimates of Maricopa's population, industrial capability, and other factors. "You see, this town is an economic power," you tell him, pointing to the figures, "but it has major constraints in its ability to project power and based on the likely output per person, the most efficient use of manpower would be in funding outside forces like us. And by a significant amount. Here, let me run you through the math..."

You go on to explain a number of limiting factors to Maricopa's ability to fight, drawing on its location, the variety of directions enemies can come into, road situations and a number of other factors. You're not completely sold on this yourself since a lot of it is conjecture, but you roll right into the next point before he can hopefully think too hard about it. You go into your stronger arguments about Maricopa's economic output and how it would be cheaper and more efficient to simply fund outside forces. That, and losses would be much more acceptable if they aren't part of the town per se. In addition, you throw out an argument on how boosting economic trade would be a net benefit to his town's economy. The years you spent in the U.C. system taught you, very well, how to use loose, but good sounding economic theoreticals to justify just about anything.

>+5 for Econ Degree Trait

To seal the deal, you use your secret weapon, a speech you've been cooking up in your mind. It's a bit off topic, but you think it'll work. "You know who Father Kino is, the man in that portrait," you say. You've seen depictions of him when operating out around Nogales, back before your assignment to this group. "The 'Patron Saint of the Borderlands,' they called him. He had to deal with constant threat of Natives while doing his missionary work, and the way he dealt with them was by befriending smaller groups, helping them get Spanish equipment, and using them to do the fighting. It worked in Arizona back then, and that's why I'm suggesting you go all in on it now."

You creatively interpreted details (i.e. made shit up from whole cloth) but you're confident in your abilities.

>+3 for Kino reference (gained from work experience in the area)

Mayor Preis thinks over everything, mulling over the papers in his hands before finally responding...

[1/3]

>>4458590
[2/3]

>Final Result: 20 + 5 + 3 = 28
>Outstanding Success
>Outcome further boosted by a natural 20

"You're right. We're better off with outside help. No sense in getting our blood spilled in the sands or taking time away from more important things. We'll give you guys what we have in the way of all terrain vehicles and tow the busted ones you got here to fix them. We should be able to do that real quick. And I'll try to get you guys another by about a week for about three mechanized platoons."

You nod your head. This is actually great. A fully mechanized force would be really helpful, since it would allow you to bring the full force against any of the Natives, or hell, any of the other foes you might encounter late.

"And on the weaponry point, I think we can spare some of our SWAT gear, pretty much the best we got. Give me a second," he says as he starts scribbling on a piece of paper before stamping it and putting it into an envelope. "Here, go to the Maricopa Militarized Police station and they'll take care of you."

SWAT gear is about the best you can hope for, and it's certainly a lot more generous than the modded civilian use equipment you expected.

"And on that point about needing spare industrial equipment according to some of the models, I'm going to put that into the completion bonus. That and the construction equipment. I get the importance of holding terrain, through, so I'll arrange for the stuff to be delivered quickly upon completing the task. Oh, and about that preaching thing, yeah, you're right. No sense in waiting on that, you can start whenever."

Well God damn. That's about as good as you could possibly hope for. Well, except one more thing.

"And would you by chance know if this town is home to any domestic offices for any federal agencies. You know, Customs, DHS, DEA, that sort of thing."

"Ha, I wish! Those feds always have their hands on some of the best shit around. No, the alphabet soup people don't operate around here, they're all in Phoenix I think. I mean, what would a DHS or DEA agent be doing in little ol' Maricopa during a civil war, c'mon man!"

"Hehe," you let out. "It was worth a shot." If only he knew.

>>4458591
[3/3]

With the meeting an unmitigated success, you leave, having achieved everything you could have reasonably wanted and having used your allotted meeting time.

You leave the office and are back with the entourage. You wait until you're all outside, given your stuff back, and in the vehicle to tell them the good news. Spirits are high, hearing they're being bankrolled to do things they probably would have done anyway.

Now, the question is, where do you go next. The day is coming to a close, but there's still time enough for one more activity before the guards insist you either leave or stay the night in a designated spot for visitors.

Select one place to visit for the second half of the day:
>Visit the market district and see what kind of goods you can trade for
>Go to the broadcasting center and chat with the people there
>Pay a visit to the "Maricopa Militarized Police"
>Find some slums and see if there are any meth-heads to sell to
>Begin scoping out good areas to do preaching
>[Write-in] a location that would reasonably be in the town to go to

By the way, sorry about the no-show yesterday. Internet was down (couldn't post), and I decided to leave it until the next day. Hopefully this Kino update was enough for you guys. Yes, that oil painting of the Catholic priest was just a way to sneak in the Kino meme, but it does make sense in universe. Look up Father Eusebio Kino if you don't believe me!

>>4458592
>>Go to the broadcasting center and chat with the people there
>>Pay a visit to the "Maricopa Militarized Police"
>>Begin scoping out good areas to do preaching

I can't decide atm (currently over the moon about our success), so if any of you lads want to pick, or have other ideas, I'll give them a whirl.

Call this update a Kino Egg...

>>4458592
>Pay a visit to the "Maricopa Militarized Police"
Lets get the gear first and then we can figure out what to do from there

>>4458861
Behind you 100% chief.

>>4458592
>Pay a visit to the "Maricopa Militarized Police"

>>4458861
>>4458944
>>4459028

OPTION SELECTED:
>Pay a visit to the "Maricopa Militarized Police"

You settle on visiting the M.M.P. as the last action of the day. You drive over to the station after informing the guard. Soon, you reach the Maricopa Police Headquarters. Unlike a normal police headquarters, there are sandbags, barbed wire, armed guards in camo, and machine guns. Quite the show of force.

"Surrender your weapons," the guard escorting you says. "You know the drill."

Your group hands over the weapons and items to the guards. They take your letter, and you are made to wait a bit. Soon, an officer with the name badge showing "Greger", comes out to meet you and guide you to the armory.

"Mayor Preis says you guys are going to do the heavy lifting of taking out those Mountain Indians. With the amount of firepower he's authorized for you guys, you guys better do a good job."

"With all due respect, Brigadier General Greger, we're fought them before, outmanned, outgunned, and outmaneuvered. And it was a slaughter in our favor. If anyone get can rid of them efficiently, it's our men," you say, slightly overplaying the situation.

"I hope that's true. Between the loonies in Phoenix, the scheming Western Injuns, and whatever the hell they're planning in Tucson, we have enough on our plate," he says. Wait a second, scheming Western Injuns? The Sierra Estrella is more to the north, and the scheming description isn't consistent with their style of brazen attacks. Before you can think it over further, he continues. "And yes, I am a brigadier general in Maricopa's new armed forces, how could you tell?"

"Oh, I, um, read about the military and organization and that sort of thing. You know, when people were worrying about what the military would do about the elections." This is a blatant lie. You knew this stuff from your time in DEA, where you would have to work with military people for one reason or another, enough to know that a single star means a brigadier general.

"Yeah. Glad you said military. Too many idiots focused on the Army, not realizing the real wildcard was in the Navy. Still can't believe they're basically their own country now..." he says, trailing off as he messes around with some security system to open the armory door...

[1/2]

File: K's Candy Shop.jpg (96 KB, 640x640)

96 KB JPG

>>4460169
[2/2]

Soon, the armory proper opens up. You see a large array of weapons laid out, ranging from semi-auto shotguns, to all sorts of handguns, SMGs, and even a number of high powered full-auto rifles. There are explosives, from grenades to breaching charges. There is a good amount of body armor here, from standard police stuff, to SWAT armor, to what look like full on military vests. And furthermore, there are random, miscellaneous items such as drones, night vision goggles, and "less-than-lethal" devices such as flash bangs and tasers.

God damn. You knew the military and federal agents were offloading excess equipment to random police offices, but only seeing it like this do you get a full idea of what that means.

"Fill this out," Brig. Gen. Greger tells you, handing over a piece of paper. "I know, filling out a formal requisition form may seem strange seeing as you're literally in the armory and I'm the guy in charge, but rules are rules."

Order the following categories from most prioritized to least:
>Small Arms
>Personal Protection Gear
>Explosives
>Miscellaneous
Specific items may be requested, but within reason. Asking for too much may result in not only denial, but "supply shortages" in other areas (i.e. pissing off the paper pushers). All successfully requisitioned items come with necessary supplies (such as bullets for guns.) Better quality items may come in shorter supply (i.e. less military grade body armor sets than police armored vests).

"Oh, and one more thing," the military man tells you after checking real quick for any eavesdroppers and closing the door. "What do you think of people who lie? People who have hidden goals, and deceive others. People who keep secrets..."

>It's evil. I'm an open book, and wouldn't lie about anything. People who deceive others and keep their motives hidden can't be trusted.
>Sometimes you have to lie to protect a greater truth. It's when you lie just to save your own skin that it becomes bad.
>This world is built on lies, and everyone is living a secret life with secret goals. People who think they're truly honest and righteous are the dangerous ones.
>Pardon my French, but what the fuck are you asking me? Seriously, are you trying to play games with me?
>[Say nothing]
>[Write-in]

>>4460170
>Personal Protection Gear
>Explosives
>Small Arms
>Miscellaneous

>Sometimes you have to lie to protect a greater truth. It's when you lie just to save your own skin that it becomes bad.

>>4460170
>>4460430
Supporting.
Radios and some sniper rifles. Smoke grenades, nonlethals, and some wands would be nice to have, but are not necessities. Improvised IEDs (breaching charges?) would be a godsend.

My, this candy store is a treat.

>>4460483
Funnily enough, I can also see him saying this as well
>This world is built on lies, and everyone is living a secret life with secret goals. People who think they're truly honest and righteous are the dangerous ones.
And being completely honest about it
; )

>>4460430
>>4460483

OPTION SELECTED:
>Sometimes you have to lie to protect a greater truth. It's when you lie just to save your own skin that it becomes bad.

Wait a second, why is he asking you this? Is he suspicious you're working for the Feds? Maybe telling him his rank tipped him off, or maybe the mayor told him that you asked about Federal Agencies. But if that's true, why w-

"Good to hear," he responds. "Balanced, the right attitude to have. Look, I want to be frank with you, but I need you to keep a secret, and lie and pretend you don't know things. You're good with that?" he asks.

"I mean, if it's in the best interests of your people and ours..."

"It's in our interest, and I'll make it yours." You nod your head in agreement, and he continues. "I think our native community is funding those bastards up in the Sierra Estrella. Organizing them, telling them where we're weakest and most vulnerable. We lay a trap for them, they avoid it and the second our attention is elsewhere, they strike. Tell me, how is that possible without them having a man on the inside?"

"Well, that doesn't mean they're in league with the natives here. I mean, they're not part of the same community, right?"

"It's smoke, and my nose is telling me there's a fire right under our noses. And this town's natives are separate, but c'mon. Even before the chaos started, they were close, like all of the Indians. Now, 'our guys,'" he emphasizes with finger quotes, "are using their own privateers to steal our resources by proxy."

Well, looks like stable Maricopa has problems of its own. You press further with the devil's advocate method. "How aren't they your guys? Aren't they part of Maricopa?"

"They have their own government via the council of elders, their own economic zone, they don't have to listen to the mayor's orders, and they technically have the ability to sign their own treaties if we're going by US law. You tell me if they're part of Maricopa. Sure, their individuals pay us taxes when they do business with us, and people do business on both sides, but I don't trust 'em."

"What does the mayor think?"

[1/3]

>>4461198
[2/3]

"Mayor Preis leaves them be. He thinks we have enough on our plate between the mountain raiders, Phoenix, Tucson, banditry, and whatever else to start dividing up our own house. Problem is, he doesn't see how those are all connected."

"What do you mean? Surely the Native community here is just as afraid of an attack from, say, Phoenix if it were to come?"

"Maybe they're afraid of Phoenix and will rally to our banners like loyal knights," he pauses for effect. "Or maybe they'll just sell us out, offer to manage the place for Phoenix, and make out like bandits. Point is, I don't know, and I think you might be able to help."

"How would my faction be able to help with this? It seems like an issue between the two parts of Maricopa to me."

"You guys are the only ones who can help with this," he explains, pointing to you. "Anyone in this town can be an informant for all I know. Any military action I take will necessarily be small, since most of our forces are focused on maintaining a sufficient garrison to ward off aggression. And any action I take will be known in advance, so it might as well be useless. Mayor won't act, my hands are tied, and they got ears everywhere."

"I see," you say, contemplating on the reality that your life is starting to look more and more like a spy movie with all the factions you have to start playing.

"When you guys attack the Indians up in the mountains, make sure you look out for any information proving clandestine relations. Could be in manila folders, could be in hard-drives, could have to torture some son of a bitch to get it. Take control over their base however you can, but take prisoners and make sure their stuff is in good condition. Point is, I want some evidence I can bring to the mayor and find out the bastards responsible for this. Hopefully, it's a few bad apples in the council, but for all I know the whole thing could be rotten."

"That's a big ask," you say, keeping your responses brief to try and get him to keep going. This is some good stuff to know.

"I know. I wouldn't think of bringing this up to you if I had any other option." He reaches as if he's about to pull a cigarette, but holds back. "I need absolute secrecy in this. You can't bring this up with anybody in town, and don't tell your men either. Hell, I'd be careful about how much you tell your own people. You never know how news and gossip can travel. If those Injuns find out, they'll get rid of everything and weasel out of it. And they'll probably tie it back to the M.M.P. too..."

>>4461200
[3/3]

"And what would my people get in return?"

"You'ld have the loyalty of the M.M.P., for starters. As you can see, we have access to a lot of powerful weaponry," he says as he waves his hand, pointing to the various items in the armory. "We got more stuff too, like armored vehicles that can withstand explosives. And if you guys are ever in need of a helping hand in whatever operations you're conducting, you can bet we'll answer the call. Plus, if we have to execute a few of those natives for treason and confiscate stolen assets gained from killing our own, I'm sure we can arrange a transfer of assets. I absolutely can not provide any up front bonuses or incentives through. It would raise suspicions at best, and most likely blow the entire operation."

"You think the natives will hand over their own if they're plotting against the town?" you say, referring to the point about executions for treason.

"They better," he says with a fierce look in his eyes. "It's full blown war, otherwise."

Well, shit. It's not like you don't have experience with conspiracies and clandestine operations, but you don't know how many things you want to get caught up in. You have a feeling this thing can spiral out of control if any of what this guy is saying is true. Then again, if things are going to spiral out of control in Maricopa, that's a good opportunity to expand your influence. And it's also the sort of thing you might want to have some powerful friends for.

You think it over for a second and take the time to fill out the ordering on the requisition form, listing:

>Personal Protection Gear
>Explosives
>Small Arms
>Miscellaneous

After handing in that form, you decide to respond to the offer by:
>Accepting the deal and keeping everything secret
>Politely rejecting the deal and promising you won't tell anyone
>Accepting the deal and planning to rat him out to the natives
>Asking for some time to digest everything, promising to meet him later and keep it secret in the meantime [commits to spending a future action in town on the M.M.P.]
>[Write-in]

I managed to fit in an early update this time. By the way, if it weren't for the [Cucumber Cool] trait, you would not have handled this as well, since it's some relatively high pressure shit.

>>4460483
>(breaching charges?)
Yeah, those explosives SWAT teams in America use to blow up doors, among other things. You can find a bunch of vids if you type in stuff like "SWAT Breach Training"

>>4460170
Small correction on a fuck up I noticed when waiting for the post timer. I should have said "fewer military grade body armor sets than..." instead of "less military grade body armor sets than..."