Iron Mountain

The Town of Iron Mountain

Population Breakdown:
20,000 Total Citizens
85% Human
10% D-Bee races (mostly humanoid)
3% Mutant Animals
2% Psi-Stalker
Note: This does not include the 5,000 to 6,000 mercenaries employed by Northern Gun or the 4D4x100 visitors, adventures, or unemployed mercenaries present at any given time.

Wherever there is a major military presence, there is a need for a variety of spin-off industries. The Town of Iron Mountain exists almost solely for the support, entertainment, and other needs of the various mercenary forces in the area. Northern Gun service centers, rental apartments, restaurants, and other services required by the active mercenaries are all available in Iron Mountain. Remember, not all companies in the area have their own base and facilities, and thus need to rent or borrow living space, training facilities and other necessities. All of these are supported by private industry.

Adventurers visiting Iron Mountain will find most of their needs can be handled including e-clip recharging, armor and vehicle repair, accommodations, basic supplies and even a good selection of Northern Gun Weapons. Wellington Industries also has a small service and sales depot in the town due to its close proximity to the Manistique Imperium.

Like most military towns, Iron Mountain depends on supporting a large build-up of troops; the more mercenaries in the area the better. This has made the city a haven and base of operations for private mercenary companies as well as those directly employed by Northern Gun. While small compared to MercTown in Kentucky, or even the Northern Gun fortress in Ironwood, many mercenary companies who wish to maintain ties with Ishpeming and Manistique make Iron Mountain their home.

Mercenary Population
In addition to the 3,000 support personnel for the Iron Mountain Free Company, there are usually two battalions (640 troops each) of line soldiers that are assigned to Iron Mountain at any given time. Twenty-five percent of those are manning border stations or on patrol at any given time. Other mercenary companies employed by Northern Gun usually max out at about 2,000 personnel and they assist with border security, add to the city garrison, escort convoys through the area and conduct seek and destroy missions into the Wisconsin Wilds. This level of activity places the standing mercenary forces between 5,000 and 6,000 line and support personnel at any given time.

Civilian Population
This heavy mercenary presence is supported by 20,000 townspeople who typically work in either Northern Gun owned facilities that cater to mercenaries or private industry. Some citizens provide other types of support, such as acting as scouts and guides for some of the smaller mercenary companies. This is especially true of the Psi-Stalker and mutant animal populations; they will hire themselves out to mercenary companies who need some extra anti-supernatural capabilities. Eighty-percent of the townsfolk live within the town itself, and the remainder operate farming, logging, and trapping operations outside the city limits.

The Wisconsin Wilds

Just south of Iron Mountain are the wilds of Wisconsin. The southern portion of Wisconsin is dominated by ley lines and nexus points which create a constant influx of supernatural creatures. While the Coalition maintains two bases in Northern Wisconsin to try and stem this activity, many of the creatures flee north toward the Ishpeming border region. The area is also a haven for bandits, Tolkeen refugees, and other undesirable types.

Wild Fox Psi-Stalker Tribe
The very things that make the area unattractive for travel make the wilds a perfect hunting ground for a tribe of Wild Psi-Stalkers. The Wild Fox tribe ranges a territory from the Ishpeming border into southern Wisconsin, hunting the supernatural and magic creatures attracted to the heavy ley line activity in the State, as well as preying on nearby Xiticix swarms. Estimates put the tribal membership at about three hundred.

The Wild Foxes have a good working relationship with the people of Iron Mountain, and especially the mercenary forces stationed there. Young warriors from the Wild Foxes often sign on with the various mercenary companies as a way to earn income or gain new skills and weapons. Additionally, Ishpeming sees these natural predators as a good buffer against supernatural creatures from the south, and thus members of the tribe are often afforded discounts on Northern Gun weapons and armor. The Manistique Imperium offers similar terms to the tribe.

As a result, the Wild Fox Tribe is one of the most heavily armed and civilized Psi-Stalker tribes in the area. Their members will frequent human towns and villages; act as guides, scouts and extra muscle to adventurers and mercenaries; and are a good source of rumors and intelligence on supernatural activity in the region.

Bandits & Raiders
Despite the dearth of supernatural activity, the Wisconsin corridor is the fastest overland route to CS Iowa and Illinois. While Ishpeming and Northern Gun have the capacity to airlift over this dangerous wild, many independent merchants and potential customers are not so lucky. Therefore, independent convoys heading to and from Ishpeming, Manistique and the Coalition States will pass through the Wisconsin Wilds to attempt to make their fortune. This merchant activity has attracted some unsavory types looking to make a profit.

Small bands of bandits and raiders use the Wisconsin wilderness as a hideout and staging area for attacks against merchant convoys and raids against Ishpeming and Manistique towns and villages. These highwaymen, robbers, and raiders are usually very well armed with excellent gear, and they use fast attack vehicles such as ATVs and Hovercycles. Some of the largest groups will even have a few suits of power armor or a robot vehicle.

Tolkeen Refugees
Fleeing from Minnesota, most refugees headed west away from the Coalition, but some have used the wild and magic rich environment of Wisconsin as a place to hide out from Coalition seek and destroy squads. Many of these refugees are not the peace-seeking types, but are actively involved in organizing Retribution Squads that can roam southward into the Coalition States. Some of these squads have been known to attack smaller Northern Gun outposts for supplies and malice.

Common Mercenary Missions in the Wilds
Independent mercenaries will often be contracted by Northern Gun and independent groups for missions into and around the wilds. The area offers a variety of tasks and attracts mercenaries with a multitude of skill specialties from anti-supernatural to wilderness tracking.

Seek & Destroy. Mercs may be asked to locate and eliminate a specific threat such as a bandit group, D-Bee raiders, or a supernatural menace that has been plaguing the area.

Escort. Independent merchants or even Northern Gun convoys may require a few extra guns to get them through the wilds.

Headhunting. At various times, Northern Gun will put a per-head price on virulent creatures and D-Bees. This could be a marauding Simvan tribe, demon horde, Xiticix, or other threat. Basically, any mercenary who brings back proof of the death of the target creatures will be paid a per-head fee for their efforts.

Bounty Hunting. Known bandits and Tolkeen war criminals make their hideouts in the thick wilderness of Wisconsin. Tracking them through the area and bringing them back for justice, or administering that justice personally, brings many mercenaries into the area.

Iron Mountain Free Company

Named for the former city and iron mine, this mercenary army is one of the largest independent military forces employed by Ishpeming. The Iron Mountain Free Company is so strongly tied to the nation’s defensive networks that it is a de facto part of the Ishpeming Defense Force. Nonetheless, members of Iron Mountain are not citizens of Ishpeming, and they are mercenaries in the classical sense. The company even hires out some of its smaller units when they aren’t needed to other nearby kingdoms - mainly the Manistique Imperium (they even hired out some of the recon companies to the Coalition during the Siege on Tolkeen).

Headquartered in Iron Mountain, Ishpeming’s third largest city, the Iron Mountain Free Company provides the standing garrison for that city. Troops not used in garrison duty conduct patrols along the south border near the former state of Wisconsin. These patrols most commonly encounter Xiticix, demons from the Wisconsin Wild Lands, and bandits. They work to keep the roads and paths to Ishpeming open for trade. Iron Mountain also sits on the border with the Manistique Imperium, making it of great strategic importance.

The Iron Mountain Free Company also maintains the southeastern border. Anyone traveling in southeast Ishpeming is likely to encounter a heavily armed patrol belonging to Iron Mountain, as well as their heavily fortified road blocks along the major access ways. The rough, mountainous terrain is covered with heavy forests and vegetation, and it is largely untouched by man since the cataclysm. Thus, Iron Mountain Company soldiers are excellent woodmen and trackers.

The company is commanded by ‘General’ Amos Plutard (9th level Wilderness Scout), a grizzled veteran with panache for wilderness operations. While he is referred to by the members of Iron Mountain as General, his official rank within the Ishpeming structure is Mercenary Captain, something the local militia types like to point out whenever the ‘general’ rubs them the wrong way. For his part, Plutard knows where his bread is buttered and doesn’t make a big deal about it, as long as those NGMI credits keep flowing, they can call him whatever the hell they want to.

Iron Mountain Free Company
A. Sponsorship: Government (Northern Gun/Ishpeming)
B. Outfits: Gimmick Clothing, 40 points
C. Equipment: Unlimited Equipment, 50 points
D. Vehicles: Specialty Vehicles, 30 points
E. Weapons: Extensive Weapons, 40 points
F. Communications: Deluxe Communications, 25 points
G. Security: Paranoid, 40 points
H. Permanent Base: Fortified Headquarters, 20 points
I. Intelligence Resources: Scout Detachments (1), 5 points; Special Military Operatives (1), 10 points; Psionic Operatives, 20 points, D-Bee Specialists, 20 points
J. Special Budget: Large Loans, 25 points
K. General Alignment of Personnel: Unprincipled and Scrupulous, 7 points
L. Criminal Activity: None, 0 points
M. Reputation: Excellent, 25 points
N. Salary: Excellent salary, 20 points
Total Points: 377
Size & Orientation: Mercenary Army

Unit Breakdown
The 2,000 active combat members of the Iron Mountain Free Company are split into three combat battalions (640 troops) one of which is assigned to garrison duty in the City of Iron Mountain. The second provides border security and combat patrols, and the third is actively hired out to other kingdoms. All three battalions rotate in and out of each role on a four month rotation (four months garrison, four months patrol, and four months assignment) in order to keep the general level of combat experience high and the general level of boredom low. This means all three battalions have an equal mix of troops. The company also keeps one platoon (40 personnel) of Special Operatives (usually Special Forces, Juicer, Crazy, and other man-at-arms O.C.C.s) and one air squadron (40 personnel) to support the battalions.

Each battalion is made up of one Reconnaissance Company, two Mechanized Infantry Companies, and one Armored Company.

Reconnaissance Companies (3)
Perhaps the most renowned part of the Iron Mountain Free Company are the infamous Reconnaissance Companies. These companies are comprised of experienced woodsmen and soldiers who specialize in long range reconnaissance, force reconnaissance, tracking, guerilla warfare, forward observation, artillery spotting, wilderness survival and search and rescue. During the Siege on Tolkeen, the CS hired two of the three companies for use in scouting enemy fortifications, a very lucrative deal for Iron Mountain. The most notorious Reconnaissance Company is the 1st Iron Mountain Recon Company, known as "the Trapper Jacks", or oftentimes simply "the Jacks". The rigorous wilderness of the Upper Peninsula has hardened these veterans to outdoor life, making them ideal scouts in high demand.

Recon companies often travel on foot, but will also make use of hovercycles, ATVs, and other light and fast vehicles.

Each company is made up of four platoons (40 soldiers) with a mix of:
40% Merc Soldiers
25% Wilderness Scouts
10% Psi-Stalkers
10% Juicer Scouts
5% ex-CS Rangers
5% Fur Trappers
5% Other wilderness and small-unit tactics savvy occupations.

Mechanized Infantry Companies (6)
These heavy infantry companies are the backbone of the Iron Mountain Free Company. Each of these heavily armed and armored units is capable of a variety of assault and defense missions. They are also competent patrolling units, and they make up the bulk of any border guard unit one encounters heading into Ishpeming. The contract with Northern Gun has benefited these companies more then any other, as 40% of them are equipped with heavy weapons and 30% with some sort of power armor. Company vehicles are usually Rolling Thunder and Black Bear ATVs for lighter units, and heavy armored personnel carriers for others. The most common power armor units are the NG Samson, Redhawk, and Bounder.

Each company is made up of four platoons (40 personnel); three infantry platoons and one power armor platoon and is broken down as follows:
40% Headhunters
30% Full and Partial Conversion Cyborgs
10% Juicers (Mostly Standard Types)
10% Other man-at-arms O.C.C.s
5% Wilderness Scouts
5% Psi-Stalkers

Armored Companies (3)
Armored Companies are the heavy support units of the Iron Mountain Company and make heavy use of Northern Gun robots, especially the vaunted NG Hunter. However, they also have Titan series robots, Northern Gun reproductions of IHA Tanks, and a smattering of other robotics and armored vehicles. The armored companies usually operate the road blocks at the Ishpeming border, the presence of heavy firepower and equipment often makes bandits and other trouble makers think twice about entering the territory of Northern Gun. Ultimately, however, the best use of the armored companies is assault, and when a mission can be found and a price can be agreed upon, these soldiers enjoy being deployed in combat, usually supported by an infantry company.

Each company is made up of eight platoons consisting of 6-12 armored vehicles. Most common O.C.C.s are Headhunter, RPA Elite and Equivalents with robot combat skills. Some common armor mixes are:

Artillery Platoon
Four TX-500 Forager Battlebots
Three NG-V7 Hunter Mobile Guns
Three NG-M56 Multi-Bots

Armored Reconnaissance Platoon
Five Titan Reconnaissance Robots
Three Titan Exploration & Light Combat Robots
One Iron Maiden Armored Personnel Carrier, with infantry

Armored Assault Platoon
Three Titan Combat Robots
Three NG-N7 Hunter Mobile Guns
Four NG Rolling Storm Medium Tanks
Two NG Rolling Fury Battle Tanks

Standard Equipment
All members of the Iron Mountain Free Company are issued: 6 Grenades (2 fragmentation, 2 plasma, 2 smoke), 2 Signal Flares, 1 NG-S2 Survival Kit, NG-L6 Laser Rifle, NG-33 Laser Pistol, Bushman Composite Armor, utility belt, canteen, bed roll, and company uniform. Reconnaissance units often replace their assault rifle with the smaller NG-IP7 Ion Pulse Rifle, or a Sniper Rifle (including the JA-11, Wilk’s, and Triax Models) and replace their armor with light designs. Forty percent (40%) of the mechanized infantry troops will carry heavy weapons including the NG-ML6 Mini-Missile Cannon, NG-303 Infantry Mini-Rail Gun, Old Style CS Plasma Cannons, NG-P7 Particle Beam Rifles, and others. Officers may be issued exoskeleton armors, where available.

Iron Mountain Complex
Heavily fortified does not even begin to describe the company’s headquarters. One of the very first missions performed by the early genesis of the Iron Mountain Free Company was clearing the iron mine of some demons that had made it their lair. Since they took it from the demons, it has acted in one way or another as a permanent base for the company.

Over the years the company has cleared out and remodeled the former Iron Mountain Iron Mine, a tourist attraction that was eventually boarded up sometime in the Golden Age. The facility extends to almost 400 feet (122 m) below the surface and at one time had more then 2,600 feet (792 m) of tunnels. Disrepair and the violence of the cataclysm has collapsed many of the tunnels, but the company has converted and upgraded what remains into a heavy underground bunker that houses troops, supplies and company headquarters. Thanks to the lend-lease of some Northern Gun mining bots, there are now multiple exits from the mine all over the mountain to support the easy deployment of forces.

Iron River

The Town of Iron River

Population Breakdown
6,000 Total Citizens
73% Human
15% D-Bee races (mostly humanoid)
5% Mutant Animals
5% Psi-Stalkers
2% Master Psychics (Mind Melters, Bursters, Zappers, etc.)
Note: These population figures do not include the 1,600 to 2,500 mercenaries or the 1D6x100 visitors, adventurers, or unemployed mercenaries present at any given time.

Situated 30 miles (48 km) Northwest of Iron Mountain is the town of Iron River, a small border town about 18 miles (29 km) from the Wisconsin border that’s only real purpose is to service the nearby Iron River Outpost. The outpost is only about four miles away and holds a large force of mercenary soldiers who provide the second link in the "Iron Wall."

Despite its small size, the town features modern facilities and usually is home to a number of transient mercenaries and adventurers, wilderness travelers, hunters, trappers, and others who make the rugged country that surrounds the town their home. The town has a rustic, rough and tumble feel, mainly due to the transient population. Gruff trappers, stoic wilderness scouts, wild Psi-Stalkers and grizzled mercenaries are always huddled in the town’s only saloon, carousing and drinking.

Its border town status and isolated feeling make Iron River somewhat more accepting of non-humans and other D-Bees (although they still shun magic users) and more then a few have made a permanent residence in the town, opening ancillary businesses that support the mercenaries stationed in the area.

Mercenary Population
The main mercenary company in the area is the Iron River Rangers, who make their headquarters just south of the city on what used to be the Stambaugh Airport. The base also serves as the city garrison and usually has about 240 combat personnel present at all times to act as the city garrison, plus another 720 support personnel. The remaining 660 personnel conduct patrols along the former Wisconsin border and make the city their home. In addition to the Iron River Rangers, there are about 300-700 mercenaries hired by Northern Gun in the area at any given time. These mercenaries are usually sent on anti-supernatural patrols outside the city and return to the city to rest and rearm at regular intervals.

Civilian Population
The 4,000 townspeople mostly exist to support the mercenary trade, two-thirds of them (66%) are Northern Gun employees who operate NG weapon, vehicle and armor sales, as well as repair shops. The remaining civilians provide other secondary services such as lodging, food, and basic supplies. Another 400 people live in the surrounding area and work as trappers, hunters, fishermen, and farmers who support and trade with the townspeople.

Iron River Reserve
Many of the people who live and work in and around Iron River are experienced outdoorsmen, former mercenaries, and powerful psychics. These courageous and industrious citizens of Ishpeming have organized a volunteer militia that can come to the aid of the city defenders or the IDF employed mercenaries in times of serious trouble. The volunteers number about 320 personnel (2 companies) and can usually be mobilized within three days.

The average Iron River Reservist is an experienced (Level 1D4+2) Wilderness Scout or Fur Trapper, while five-percent (about 16 people) are major or master psychics with powers geared towards detecting and fighting the supernatural. About fifteen-percent are a mixture of retired and semi-retired (Level 1D6+1) man-at-arms professions (Headhunter, Mercenary, Bounty Hunter, etc.).

Harvey’s Pulp & Lumber Plant
Located twenty miles north of Iron River is one of the largest producers of wood products in Ishpeming. The Harvey family has owned and operated their logging and pulp business since the early days of Ishpeming’s history. The wood products produced at the company’s plant north of Iron River are used in the construction of many new homes built in the City of Ishpeming and the surrounding communities. Harvey’s is also the leading supplier of wooden weapons crates to Northern Gun.

The pulp plant produces a wide variety of paper products, from household staples, to more complex products using the paper making by-products of cellulose, oils, and resins. In fact, although the sanitary paper, air filters and cardboard products are sold for common purposes throughout Ishpeming, it is the stuff made from the nearby by-products processing facility that nets big profits.

Nearby, cellulose made from wood fiber is used to produce rayon, rayon which is then sold as a raw material to Northern Gun for making a wide variety of products, including tires for ATVs, dune buggies, and other mass market vehicles. Although of little value to a raiding party, the plants have been attacked on three separate occasions, twice by the marauding Taraxic Simvan. Although there are very few human employees, thanks to Northern Gun produced labor bots, the tools, supplies and disruption to operations were enough to send the Harvey’s into a frenzy.

The company now employs a standing garrison of mercenaries of about platoon strength (40 personnel) and regularly hires mercenaries and adventures to protect its labor bots during wood harvesting. The Harvey’s also have a 500,000 credit bounty on the Chief of the Taraxic Simvan, dead or alive - preferably dead.

The Harvey facility is an example of the numerous small businesses, outposts, etc. scattered through Ishpeming. Other lumber facilities, iron mines, cooper mines, and other raw materials producers are a key part in the Northern Gun manufacturing machine and are the primary focus of protection for Ishpeming Defense Forces and their hired mercenaries.

The Border Region

Iron River exists to protect the south-western border of Ishpeming. No trade passes through Iron River from the west, making the bandit threat much lower than in the more hostile area surrounding Iron Mountain. Major threats in Iron River are Xiticix scouting parties and supernatural creatures released from Tolkeen during the war. The heavily forested area south and west of Iron River is constantly prowled by all manner of supernatural predators, demons, and Tolkeen Refugees. Mercenaries in the region maintain constant patrols over an area of some 500 square miles (1,294 km2), with their main focus on hunting supernatural creatures, D-Bee raiders, and other menaces left over from the war in Minnesota.

Ironically, war in the region, the sparse population and the close proximity of the Xiticix keep the area free of most human threats such as bandits and warmongers. However, the wilderness area in and around Iron River is some of the most rugged and wild in North America; there are almost no human settlements in the area. Due to this same lack of human presence, there are rumors of totally untouched pre-Rifts ruins in this region that often attract groups of treasure hunters and adventurers. For many of them, Iron River is the last stop (literally and figuratively) in their search.

The Taraxic Simvan Tribe
The perennial antagonists in this region are the tenacious and cruel Taraxic tribe of Simvan Monster Riders. These monster riders prefer to ride Spiny Ravagers and like to strike at Ishpeming patrols in order to capture their valuable weapons and equipment. On more then a few occasions, the tribe has conducted daring raids against the Town of Iron River itself, attempting to grab livestock, food, medical supplies and weapons from the city stores. On one such occasion the Iron River Reserve was activated to help put down the raiding party.

Since the infamous raid, Ishpeming has been in an unofficial state of war against the tribe and has a standing price per head policy for any Simvan from the Taraxic tribe. Air sorties have even been flown into the area to try and carpet bomb the tribe out of existence, but to date they have always managed to regroup, restock, and eventually reappear. Incidents died down during the war with Tolkeen, as the evil kingdom employed the monster riders as scouts and cavalry.

Now that the war is over, the Taraxic are reorganizing against their old foes in Ishpeming and are armed with techno-wizardry weapons gained during the war. They are often joined by Tolkeen refugees, including sub-demons like the Brodkil and others. The resultant force is a powerful and savage band of raiders who have recently begun to strike anew against the farms and communities of southwestern Ishpeming.

Iron River Rangers

While not the largest mercenary force employed by Ishpeming, the Iron River Rangers are one of the most unique. They have the largest number of psychic personnel per capita than any other major company employed by Northern Gun. While not as large or varied as the Coalition’s Psi-Bat, this group specializes in hunting and neutralizing the supernatural. As a result, their powerful psychics are supported by high levels of augmented troops - especially heavy cyborgs.

From their headquarters in Iron River, the Rangers patrol along a fifty-mile stretch of the Ishpeming Border, and often extend their patrols into the old State of Wisconsin. The Rangers’ "Monster Masher" squads are legendary through the Upper Peninsula and beyond. When a small kingdom has trouble with a nasty group of demons or a particularly persistent predator, they will often look for a squad of Rangers to assist with the extermination.

Since their inception in 104 P.A., the Iron River Rangers have been commanded by Ray Carter, an 8th Level former CS Ranger and Major Psionic. Carter hates the supernatural and is practically obsessed with wiping them out. But working on the fringes of CS territory as a Ranger and now as a mercenary leader, he has changed his opinion on D-Bees, and his company even employs a handful of them. The only reason Carter left the Coalition after he served his tour was the IC registration; he opposed it and felt it questioned his loyalty. Insulted, he left the CS and has since had the coding surgically removed. Carter is a masterful recruiter of psychics, especially former CS ones, and has also managed to draw in some feral and freeborn dog boys to be a part of his team.

Iron River Rangers Mercenary Company
A. Sponsorship: Government (Northern Gun/Ishpeming)
B. Outfits: Specialty Clothing, 20 points
C. Equipment: High-Tech Augmentation, 40 points; Electronic Supplies & Good Gear, 5 points; Medical Equipment, 10 points
D. Vehicles: Combat Cars, 20 points
E. Weapons: Advanced Weaponry, 20 points
F. Communications: Full Range System, 25 points
G. Security: Tight, 10 points
H. Permanent Base: Headquarters, 10 points
I. Intelligence Resources: Scout Detachment, 5 points; Special Military Operatives, 10 points; Psionic Operatives, 20 points; D-Bee Specialists, 20 points
J. Special Budget: Large Loans, 25 points
K. General Alignment of Personnel: Anarchist and Unprincipled, 4 points
L. Criminal Activity: Psychic Enforcer, 15 points
M. Reputation: Known, 10 points
N. Salary: Excellent Salary, 20 points
Total Points: 259
Size & Orientation: Large Company

Unit Breakdown
The Iron River Rangers have 660 combat personnel, organized as a battalion of four companies (160 personnel each) with two attached special operations squads (10 personnel each). Most unit actions happen at the squad level (sometimes at platoon level), as the company is mainly engaged in border and wilderness patrols. Small units are sent out to make sure no supernatural threats are crossing from Minnesota and Wisconsin into Ishpeming. Each squad carries considerable firepower in the form of heavy cyborgs that support the sensitive psychics who assist with tracking the supernatural.

All four companies have similar make-ups:
30% Full Conversion Cyborgs
20% Headhunters (with partial cybernetic conversion)
15% Psi-stalkers (Wild & Mercenary)
10% Juicers (Mainly Standard and Juicer Scouts, although there are a few Delphi Juicers)
6% Tirrvol Sword Fist D-Bees
5% Wilderness Scouts
5% Mutant Animals
5% Other D-Bees
3% Minor & Major Psychics (mainly Man-at-Arms O.C.C.s with Sensitive Psionic Powers)
2% Master Psychics (Mainly Mind Melters, Nega-Psychics & Psi-Nullifiers)

A typical Rangers squad of ten will consist of:
3 Headhunters
2 Full Conversion Cyborgs (With Heavy Weapons)
1or 2 Psi-Stalkers
1 Juicer
1or 2 Wilderness Scouts or Mutant Animal
1 Major or Master Psychic

Standard Equipment
Standard equipment is Bushman Composite Armor for foot soldiers and partial conversion borgs. Psychics will wear lighter Huntsman Armor and full conversion Borgs will wear Standard Cyborg Infantry Armor. Standard issue weapons are the NG-33 Laser Pistol and NG-L5 Laser Rifle. One in five personnel (usually Cyborgs) will carry a heavy energy weapon such as an NG-E6 Plasma Ejector, NG-P7 Particle Beam Rifle, or NG-202 Rail Gun.

Special Operations Squads
The Stalkers. The Stalkers are a psychic specialist squad lead by Leo Atkinson, a 7th Level Mind Melter (Psychic Enforcer). The squad consists of 3 Psi-Stalkers 2 Psi-Slayers, 1 Psi-Ghost, 1 Psi-Nullifier, 1 Burster and an evil Mind Bleeder. These psychics specialize in stealth, stalking, and espionage. Although their main target is the hated Simvan, they are also used for interrogations, kidnappings and intelligence gathering missions. Ishpeming regularly employs this powerful band of mentalists for a variety of industrial espionage and bounty hunting missions.

The Osprey. The second special operations squad specializes in aerial tactics and power armor combat; the Osprey act as air support for the company. The squad is led by Owen Harding, a 6th Level former RPA Elite who served with Ray Carter in the CS Army. The unit also has 3 Phaeton juicers and 6 RPA Elite equivalent O.C.C.s, all of whom are known for their trick flying and piloting skill.

Tirrvol Sword Fist Platoon
One of the first victims of the marauding Taraxic Simvan tribe was a small clan of Tirrvol Sword First D-Bees who had made their home in northwestern Wisconsin. The survivors were being pursued by the mounted monster riders when they were saved by Ray Carter and his Iron River Rangers. Despite his Coalition upbringing Carter was impressed by the courage of the Sword Fists and helped to resettle them in Iron River; the Tirrvol now make up a large percentage of the D-Bee population. As a result of this kindness, the Tirrvol serve under Ray Carter’s command against supernatural threats, especially the Simvan.

Thanks to the good folks at Northern Gun, and some major credits from Ray Carter, most of these D-Bees have been augmented with cyber-armor and given modified hover cycles that can be operated with their prehensile toes. They ride through the borderlands defending Ishpeming towns, outposts, and citizens from supernatural creatures. So far, their noble actions have caused more then a few citizens to change their minds about D-Bees.

Ironwood

The City of Ironwood

Population Breakdown
17,000 Total Citizens
67% Human
22% D-Bee races
6% Psi-Stalkers
4% Mutant Humans & Animals
Note: These figures do not include the 7,500 to 12,000 mercenaries employed by Northern Gun or the 1D6x100 visitors, adventures, or unemployed mercenaries present at any given time.

Eighty miles (129 km) northwest of Iron River, sitting directly on what was once the border of Michigan and Wisconsin is the mercenary stronghold of Ironwood. This is the largest military complex and build-up of forces in Ishpeming. The reason for this base is simple: it is a scant 110 miles (177 km) from the Duluth hive - the largest known Xiticix hive in North America. The entire area west of Ironwood is known simply as "bug land" to the locals, and designated more formally as Xiticix territory by Northern Gun.

The ever encroaching Xiticix expansion has Ishpeming worried. If the bugs ever decide to flood the area in force, it won’t take them long to swarm over the entire Upper Peninsula - one of the few wars that would be bad business for Northern Gun. To help curb this expansion, Ishpeming employs thousands of mercenary soldiers at its Ironwood stronghold and employs hundreds more to make raids and assaults into Xiticix territory to help cull the swarms.

To support this massive build-up of troops, Northern Gun has literally built a city right on top of the ruins of the pre-Rifts city of Ironwood. Using pre-fabricated buildings and structures made at factories in Ishpeming, the industrious Northern Gun erected the city in record time. Engineers used the city rubble to build a giant wall around the city - not that walls do much good against flying bugs, but it looks imposing.

When construction was completed, Ironwood had lots of housing and mercenaries, but not a lot of people. To solve this problem the Northern Gun way, the company transferred numerous employees to workshops and small time production facilities in the city and offered incentive pay to anyone who was willing to accept the move. Northern Gun also opened Ironwood as a free-trade zone, meaning any companies or independent businesses could set up shop in the city; of course, they all rent their premises from Northern Gun.

The end result is a city on the very edge of the Domain of Man, fighting to save Earth from alien occupation. The town has a war-torn feeling, as rough mercenaries and desperate citizens attempt to hold back the flood of Xiticix. The people of Ironwood fight hard and live for the moment. Mercenaries spend their money as fast as they can make it, and they will buy any sort of distraction or vice they can find to keep their minds off their work. Thus, despite the dangers of being so close to bug land, all manner of traders, business people, and adventurers make the trek to Ironwood - for where there is great risk, there is also great reward.

Mercenary Population The main mercenary company in the city is The Iron Hand, who occupy the Northern Gun built military base inside the city. The Iron Hand is the agent of the Ishpeming government in the area. They subcontract out to many other companies in order to fill the need for a garrison of 4,000 troops, plus nearly 6,000 combat operatives. Most of the townspeople work in direct support of the mercenary armies. Additionally, the mercenaries employ support staff of about 5,000 personnel. The employed mercenary population in the city is usually around 10,000, sometimes swelling as high as 12,000. At pique times, the City of Ironwood employs almost half of the mercenaries used by Ishpeming on a regular basis.

Civilian Population Almost all of the 17,000 city dwellers work to support, feed, and entertain the standing mercenary army in some way. Approximately 1,900 citizens work for Northern Gun in their repair centers, weapons sales center, and small production facility (Ironwood is home to the manufacturing plant for the NG-IP7 Rifle). Fishing, farming and logging happen to the North and East of the city in order to provide food and supplies for the citizens. However, Northern Gun still imports food from Ishpeming and other areas to keep the stores stocked in case of a siege.

The Wall As mentioned, the city is surrounded by a wall. The wall is not a shiny, smooth structure but rather a twenty foot high pile of pre-Rifts rubble that rings the city. Much like old fashioned gabions used in sea walls, the rubble is dumped into metal cages that form blocks. These blocks are stacked and supported to make the wall. Pre-fabricated towers sit at intervals along the wall to keep watch for swarms and to help man the rail guns and medium range anti-aircraft missile turrets. As the rubble is made from the remnants of a Golden Age city, they provide some mega damage protection.

Free-Trade Zone Although Northern Gun likes having a monopoly on business within its own territories, keeping an outpost like Ironwood stocked with expensive mercenaries costs money. Therefore, Northern Gun has made Ironwood a free-trade zone, allowing many of their traditional competitors to set up shop in the commercial district of the city. Although all these competitors pay rent to Northern Gun, this still means Ironwood is one of the best places to rest, rearm, and reload in the Xiticix territories. All the major weapons manufacturers (Wellington Industries, Wilk’s, Cyberworks and even Bandito Arms) have retail outlets in the city. Of course, the high demand for weaponry and the high cost of doing business in Ironwood means most products are 10-25% more expensive than list prices. The exception, of course, is Northern Gun products, which can be purchased for list price.

The Xiticix Invasion Although the town could probably be defended by a garrison of one quarter the size of the mercenary army it houses now, Ishpeming is in a state of war against the Xiticix. The threat is so serious that their competitors in the Manistique Imperium lend cash and equipment to help keep the Army supplied. The number of mercenaries employed by Northern Gun at Ironwood varies significantly. At any given time, 6D6 x 100 mercenaries are conducting operations in the hive lands on "seek and destroy" or "per head" contracts. When Xiticix activity is high, Northern Gun’s mercenary employment is high; when the bugs are busy with someone else, the contracts aren’t so plentiful.

Once in a great while, Ishpeming will have the opportunity and circumstances to attack a hive. They have only attempted this twice since the base at Ironwood was established with mixed results. No one knows for sure if the Xicitix are actually being held back by all this activity or not, and many are beginning to wonder if a full fledged extermination is needed. Northern Gun is the continent’s second largest producer of nuclear power plants (second only to the Coalition States) and possesses the arsenal to vaporize much of the hive territories. For the moment, this is not a viable option. However, they might be persuaded to do so if the Xiticix force their hand, or if a wealthy nation, such as the Coalition, makes them an offer they cannot refuse.

For more information on the Xicitix, please see World Book #23: Xicitix Invasion.

Coalition Bases in Wisconsin The Coalition States recognizes Ishpeming’s commitment to keeping the Xiticix threat contained, and the two Coalition bases in southern Wisconsin will work in conjunction with the mercenary forces at Ironwood when it suits their needs. Sometimes CS troops will even come to Ironwood for weekend leave, and generally speaking they behave themselves.

Operation Northwind Ten miles north of the city of Ironwood, along the south shores of Lake Superior is Saxon Harbor, home of a secret Ishpeming operation. Operation Northwind is a project designed to stem the Xiticix invasion. From this secret facility, built under the 90 foot (27 m) waterfall where the Montreal River empties into Lake Superior, mercenaries attempt to keep the Xiticix from expanding eastward and push it north toward CS Iron Heart instead.

Using a converted Poseidon Missile Cruiser and CS SAMAS units purchased on the Black Market, the company launches waterborne raids against the Duluth hive. These raids are always staged from the north and attempt to lure the Xiticix back toward Iron Heart, designed to make the bugs recognize CS forces as the real threat in the area.

It is too early to tell if this tactic is effective, and those few who know about its existence wonder if it is worth the risk of being discovered by the CS. However, Ishpeming wishes no ill-will toward the CS; the Ishpeming government simply feels that they have been taking the Xicitix invasion on the chin, and they wish for the CS to enter the fray against these hostile aliens before they spread too far.

The operation is conducted by Northwind Naval Company, a mercenary company made up of savvy pirates and raiders. To date, Ishpeming has done a good job of convincing the people of Northwind that they are employed by Free Quebec, and not Ishpeming. If the CS does find out about the operation, Ishpeming hopes they have created enough plausible deniability through framing Free Quebec and using non-aligned mercenaries for the work.

The Iron Hand Mercenary Company

The Iron Hand is the largest single company employed by Ishpeming, and its officers and commanders execute the orders of the Ishpeming government as if they were the nation’s official defense force. The Iron Hand also assigns all the mercenary sub-contracts in the area and takes part in the administration of the city, along with the Northern Gun executives located there. This symbiotic relationship has blurred the line between mercenary army and national army, something that doesn’t bother either side very much at all.

Commanding the Iron Hand, and with an iron fist at that, is Mercenary Captain Elijah Garnett. Garnett was a long time member of the Ishpeming Defense Force, serving as a Colonel in the city garrison as well as instructor at Ishpeming Staff College. During his time at ISC, he made a lot of noise about the Xiticix threat. When the Ironwood base was being constructed, Northern Gun gave Garnett the opportunity to form a company to protect the western front, putting their money where his mouth was. Garnett resigned his commission in the IDF and began recruiting mercenary soldiers from the Ishpeming area. His army assembled quickly, and many of the original members were former IDF soldiers looking to make some money as private contractors. Since then, the Iron Hand has been a steady employer of mercenaries from all over the world and, rumor has it, off world.

Elijah Garnett is a strategic thinker, and he is becoming frustrated with his inability to actually make a difference in beating back the Xicitix. He knows it is only a matter of time before they encroach on the Domain of Man, and by that time it may be too late to stop their spread. He advocates more drastic action, and has been known to hire mercenaries on the sly to test out more radical methods, such as chemical and biological weapons, against Xicitix hives.

Iron Hand Mercenary Company
A. Sponsorship: Government (Northern Gun/Ishpeming)
B. Outfits: Speciality Clothing, 20 points
C. Equipment: Electronic Supplies & Good Gear, 5 points; Medical Equipment, 10 points
D. Vehicles: Specialty Vehicles, 30 points
E. Weapons: Extensive Weaponry, 40 points
F. Communications: Superior Communications, 40 points
G. Security: Tight, 10 points
H. Permanent Base: Company City, 60 points
I. Intelligence Resources: Scout Detachment, 5 points; Special Military Operatives 10 points
J. Special Budget: Large Loans, 25 points
K. General Alignment of Personnel: Anarchist & Unprincipled, 4 points
L. Criminal Activity: None.
M. Reputation: Excellent Reputation, 25 points
N. Salary: Excellent Salary, 20 points
Total Points: 289
Size & Orientation: Mercenary Army
Unit Breakdown
The Iron Hand has a strong proportion of heavily armed and armored ground forces, using the cost effective Northern Gun reproductions of IHA designs. Instead of robot vehicles, the Iron Hand employs large amounts of tanks and armored personnel carriers. It is broken down into armored cavalry units consisting of tank companies, supported by power armor, mechanized infantry, and heavy air support.

The Armored Cavalry Regiment (1,300 personnel, including a 12-person HQ unit) consists of two squadrons. A typical armored cavalry squadron has 644 personnel, organized into three Cavalry Troops, one Tank Company, and one Artillery Battery. Another 700 active combat personnel make up the air support personnel, special operations and garrison infantry who man the city defenses.

Cavalry Troops (6)
4 NG Rolling Fury Battle Tanks
6 NG Rolling Storm Medium Tanks
13 NG Rolling Explorer APCs
20 NG-X3 Bounder Power Armor Units (carried inside APC)
Total Crew: 60
Total Infantry (including "Bounders"): 130
Note: Infantry, equipped with medium body armor, NG-IP7 Ion Pulse Rifles and IG-57 Heavy Ion Blasters. Twenty percent will be full-conversion cyborgs with NG-P7 Particle Beam Rifles, NG202 Rail Guns, or other heavy weapons.

Tank Company (2)
10 NG Rolling Fury Battle Tanks
4 NG Rolling Storm Medium Tanks
Total Crew: 56

Artillery Battery (2)
6 NG Rolling Lightning Missile Vehicles
Total Crew: 18

Bug Busters
The most famous section of the Iron Hand is the air support unit. Known as the Bug Busters, these airmen fly constant sorties over hive territory to eliminate the growing threat, and their fighter pilots are known to be the best air-to-air dogfighters in the world: A title they sometimes attempt to prove against the RPA "Fly Boys" stationed in southern Wisconsin.

Recruiting pilots isn’t much of a problem, as the company pays an outrageous salary and provides top-of-the-line Northern Gun aircraft. A famous line for recruiters is: "You provide the skills, we’ll provide the thrills". Therefore, the bug busters fly NG Golden Eagle Fighter Jets, NG Northern Harrier Attack Fighters, and NG Northern Eagle Helicopters in support of ground troops and in general air-to-air or air-to-ground assaults against Xiticix swarms and hives.

Northern Gun Netbook

The Iron Wall