Wednesday, October 7, 2009

The OLS Resistance

“If you’re listening to this, you are the Resistance.”
---John Connor, Terminator Salvation

The Resistance
The governments of the world quickly and admirably responded to the Korr invasion by forming an alliance of world powers. For the first time in recorded history, mankind stood united against a common enemy. Humanity’s superior firepower initially halted the Korr’s invasion of Earth. However, as the effects of voss corrosion took hold, major armed opposition began to collapse. In the end, even a combined nuclear strike by several world powers was not enough to drive the Korr back to their homeworld.

As the lines of communication and defense broke down across the globe, elements of the allied governments realized a change in tactics was needed to ensure the survival of the human race. Rather than meet the Korr head-on, the armies of the world began to split into smaller cells, retreating to remote locations to wage a guerilla war against the alien invaders.

And so, the Resistance was born.

The American Resistance
The United States was one of the last major world powers to join the resistance movement. When the invasion first began, the country was struggling through a severe economic recession and President Victor Paige’s approval ratings were at an all-time low. The president was quick to capitalize on early military victories against the Korr which boosted the spirit of the American people, however, as Earth’s defenses began to fail, military generals led by Army Chief of Staff General Greg W. Carswell realized that an organized resistance movement was the only way to defeat the invaders. A formal proposal was drawn up and placed on the President’s desk, however, afraid that the formation of a resistance movement would be interpreted as a sign that the United States had conceded defeat, the President’s chief advisors convinced him to veto the bill. In response, General Carswell and several other concerned military leaders convened to discuss the conflict and eventually decided to dismantle the armed forces and proceed with the plan despite the veto.

OLS Central Command
Under the designation Operation Liberty Strike (a.k.a. Operation Last Stand), or OLS for short, the American Resistance adopted a loose command structure that uses a simplified version of the military ranking system. OLS Central Command is responsible for monitoring Korr activity, overseeing operations, and equipping and providing intelligence to Resistance cells. Central Command is directed by several decorated military generals, who are said to be in close contact with the President of the United States, but President Paige has not addressed the nation since launching strategic nuclear strikes against the Korr motherships almost three months ago and many believe he is no longer alive.

OLS Cells
Resistance cells vary in size and makeup. Most are comprised of less than a dozen fighters who grimly wage war against the Korr and receive only sporadic communications from Central Command. A few are better organized and are able to maintain vehicles and heavy weapons, while a rare few have access to military-grade vehicles and hardware. These last tend to be remnants of local governments who are regularly in touch with Central Command. Central Command issues each formal cell an OLS letter/number combination that is used for record keeping and identification purposes.

OLS Bases
Resistance cells are always on the move, never staying in one place long to avoid attracting unwanted attention. They sometimes establish temporary bases, whether to resupply or to plan and launch raids against the Korr. These bases can be as simple as a suburban basement or as complex as an abandoned military hangar surrounded by lookouts and booby traps. A few fixed OLS bases do exist, mainly supply depots and communications bunkers, but the location of these remain a secret known only to the Resistance’s highest-ranking members. In North America, for example, Central Command is said to be located inside a military bunker in the Southwest where they are able to monitor Korr activity and communicate with other governments via satellite uplinks.

OLS Ranks
Resistance fighters are commonly referred to as “soldiers.” OLS ranks consist of private, corporal, sergeant, captain, major, colonel, and general, although most characters will never even meet a colonel or general. Stormrift characters typically begin the game as privates or corporals under the command of a sergeant or captain. As Resistance fighters tend to have short lifespans, status within one’s rank is also determined by seniority and/or military achievements (i.e. a private who has been with the Resistance for two months is more respected and awarded more responsibilities than a newly recruited private even though they technically hold the same rank). No distinction is made between enlisted soldiers and officers—a sergeant is promoted to captain after outstanding service—which means that higher-ranking officers tend to be war-wise and battle-tested.

Vehicles
The number and type of vehicles used by the Resistance depend primarily on the capability of each cell to maintain them. Older vehicles, particularly American trucks and muscle cars, and vehicles such as dune buggies, four-wheelers, and motorcycles are preferred because they contain simpler engines that are easier to access, clean, and maintain. Aircraft such as fighter planes and helicopters are built from more complex alloys such as aluminum, titanium, and magnesium, making them more resistive to the corrosive effects of the voss, although good pilots are always in short supply. Vehicles have a limited lifespan and can only survive contact with high concentrations of voss for short periods of time before becoming useless (see pg. xnx).

Equipment
For the typical Resistance cell, weapons, food, and other everyday items are always in short supply. Most cells take only what they can carry on their backs or in their vehicles, but a few strike deals with local communities and settlements that enable them to refit and resupply before and after forays against the Korr. In addition, Central Command often rewards its most capable Resistance cells with better intelligence, weapons, vehicles, and supplies.

Communication
The world has become larger, its people once again isolated from one another. With no internet, no telephones, and fewer working radios and television sets, most people know very little about what is happening just a few miles down the road, much less across the globe.

In North America, the Emergency Broadcast System (EBS) and the Public Broadcasting System (PBS) have both been commandeered by OLS Central Command. Central Command uses the network to broadcast infrequent television transmissions to those lucky enough to own battery-operated television sets. More frequent are the biweekly radio broadcasts that deliver survival tips, information on safe zones and Korr activity, and inspirational stories that are designed to boost morale and give mankind hope for the future. First Lady Evelyn Paige (see pg. xnx) is a weekly guest on these shows. OLS broadcasters sometimes work in conjunction with news agencies such as FXNN (see pg. xnx) to inform the public of major developments and upcoming newscasts.

Resistance cells pass information to each other mainly through word of mouth and, when possible, through coded radio transmissions. OLS technicians are also working on ways to adapt Korr communications technology for human use.

Travel
Most OLS Resistance members are forced to travel on foot. A few have vehicles at their disposal, but these have a limited lifespan so many Resistance cells are turning to horses and other beasts of burden for transportation. OLS scientists have also begun experimenting using control techniques for various Korr servitors, but these experiments have met with only limited success.

The Resistance Today
Today, the Resistance is respected and feared by both humans and the Korr. Most humans actively help the Resistance, providing safe haven, supplies, and even fresh volunteers whenever possible in exchange for protection and information about the Korr invasion. At the very least, Resistance members are given a wide berth as trouble seems to follow them wherever they go. In fact, a few havens wrongly believe the Resistance only incites the Korr to greater violence.


OLS Resistance Cells
OLS Resistance cells are designated by size, equipment, and/or function.

Level I
Level I Resistance cells are the most common type of cells encountered. They typically number one to twenty fighters armed with small arms such as assault rifles and handguns, homemade explosives, and makeshift melee weapons (spiked baseball bats, fire axes, machetes, etc.). Level I cells may have access to one or two ground vehicles that are in a sad state of repair. They frequently form or occupy havens and focus on defending fixed areas (such as city neighborhoods, suburbs, small towns, etc.) from Korr invasion forces. Level I cells maintain only sporadic communications with Central Command and usually gather intelligence, plan, and conduct their own operations.

Level II
Level II Resistance cells typically number between twenty to one hundred fighters who have access to small arms, heavy weapons such as RPGs and machineguns, better equipment, and several vehicles. An Air Corps pilot or two and their ground crews may be assigned to the cell or the cell may be able to call in air support from a larger cell for particular operations. Level II cells maintain regular scheduled communications with Central Command. These cells are usually encountered in larger cities, but they tend to move around a lot, establishing temporary bases from which to launch operations against the Korr.

Level III
Level III Resistance cells are usually remnants of former military units and can number well over one hundred fighters, including several Air Corps units. Level III cells maintain direct contact with Central Command and are supplied with the best weapons, gear, and vehicles the Resistance can muster. Level III cells usually occupy fixed bases, however, these bases make excellent targets for Korr invasion forces. After the Staked Plains disaster where cell TX5-3009 was wiped out by the Broken Moon mothership attack, Level III cells have been ordered to implement organized withdrawal, rendezvous, and alternate base relocation procedures.

Other Units

OLS Research and Development
The Research and Development branch of OLS Central Command is crucial to the resistance effort. R&D scientists are always looking for ways to counteract or neutralize the effects of the voss, reverse-engineer Korr biotechnology, and develop new weaponry to use against the Korr. OLS R&D is responsible for the now-infamous Project 13 that resulted in the creation of enhanced humans (see pg. xnx). They are currently researching biological agents designed to affect only the Korr and need live Korr specimens for testing. R&D may also call upon characters to field test experimental weaponry, equipment, or servitor control devices.

OLS Air Corps
The OLS Air Corps was founded shortly after Earth’s strategic nuclear strikes failed to drive off the Korr invaders. Most Earth aircraft are made from rust-resistant metals such as titanium, magnesium, and aluminum, with only a few components made from common metal parts. Once replacements were found for these parts, Earth’s aircraft became ideal weapons for combating Korr invasion forces. Korr flyers simply cannot match the speed or power of modern aircraft and the Air Corps has achieved almost complete air superiority except in the vicinity of a Korr mothership.

Aircraft require constant maintenance and upkeep to remain operational and voss-free, so the Air Corps receives the best equipment and training the OLS can muster. Some Air Corps units are permanently assigned to larger OLS cells. Other cells may coordinate air support for crucial operations or request support from passing aircraft. Pilots are also routinely sent on attack runs to destroy enemy “targets of opportunity” on the ground, being able to land and refuel at small airports and abandoned military airbases scattered across the country.

Air Corps HQ is currently based at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, but Air Corps units are spread out across North America. The Air Corps is always looking to recruit and train new pilots. OLS pilots are treated with great respect--almost every Resistance cell can name a time when the Air Corps saved them from certain destruction.

Air Corps pilots are commonly referred to as “airmen.” The OLS Air Corps uses the same ranking system as the standard Resistance except that pilots are also designated as such (i.e. Pilot Private, Pilot Corporal, etc.). The Air Corps patch is a pair of wings superimposed over the OLS initials. Korr warriors consider these patches to be excellent trophies.

Psionic Research Division (a.k.a. PRD a.k.a. Psi-Corps)
The Psionic Research Division is a branch of OLS Central Command that is designed to recruit, train, and individuals who exhibit psychic powers (see Psionics, pg. xnx). Although Psi-Corps itself is a fledgling organization, the United States government has long been involved in psychic and paranormal research and many of the protocols and procedures for managing psychics had already been established during the government-funded remote-viewing Stargate Project which was “officially” adopted by the CIA in 1995 and then supposedly disbanded shortly thereafter.

Psi-Corps agents are assigned to OLS Resistance cells, particularly larger cells, but they may be recalled or reassigned as needed. Psi-Corps prefers those with psychic powers to submit to their training and rules before working with a Resistance cell which has caused some psychics to fear that elements of the former government are trying to control the spread of psychic powers.

Psi-Corps psychics are commonly referred to as “agents.” The OLS Psi-Corps uses the same ranking system as the standard Resistance except that agents are also designated as Psi- (i.e. Psi-Private, Psi-Corporal, etc.).

Project 13
Project 13 was a failed OLS experiment that focused on the implantation of Korr nanoborgs in human test subjects. Although the implantation itself was a success, OLS scientists were unable to halt the nanoborg growth, and over time the spread of nanoborgs throughout the human body have caused serious physical and mental disorders (see Cybernetics, pg. xnx).

Almost 500 humans volunteered for the experiment, mostly patriotic OLS soldiers, scientists, and men and women whose lives had been devastated by the Korr invaders. These “enhanced humans” as they came to be called utilize a blend of human technology and Korr cybernetics. Most of the volunteers still serve the OLS in various capacities, but a few have broken away from the Resistance to live out what is left of their lives. The OLS has supposedly scrapped Project 13, but some believe scientists continue to reverse-engineer Korr biotechnology in the hopes of creating super humans capable of defeating the Korr.

Enhanced humans are commonly referred to as “cyborgs.” Enhanced humans are assigned to various OLS Resistance cells where they automatically receive the rank of corporal and may rise in rank normally.

Doomsday Recovery Division (a.k.a. DRD a.k.a. Dread)
The Doomsday Recovery Division is a branch of the OLS Resistance created to track down and recover shards of the Korr doomsday device (see The Akorras, pg. xnx). DRD cells are typically made up of three to five highly-skilled, deeply patriotic individuals, including at least one Psi-Corps agent and one enhanced human. DRD cells are authorized to fuse with recovered shards of the Akorras in order to enhance their recovery capabilities as OLS scientists believe the shards can always be removed at a later time.

OLS Central Command provides DRD cells with the suspected location of Akorras shards whenever possible. Otherwise, DRD cells are allowed free reign to seek out shards on their own. DRD cells may be found working in conjunction with standard Resistance cells until an Akorras shard is located, however, their presence can be unnerving to some.

DRD members are commonly referred to as “spooks.” The DRD uses the same ranking system as the standard Resistance except that agents may also be designated as Dread (i.e. Dread Private, Dread Corporal, etc.). DRD cells often go by colorful names such as Nighthawks, Howlers, the Black Guard, or Gray’s Demons.

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