TEXT: Atlanta in 2020
  Atlanta in 2020
  Atlanta in 2020
  Atlanta in 2020    
  INTRODUCTION
  INTRODUCTION
  INTRODUCTION
  INTRODUCTION    
  • 
  Atlanta is the city where: The Eurocorps do as they wish, while the city police that they 
  fund have to stand by. It takes the media and the Robin Hood gang to expose the Corps to 
  the public. 
  • 
  Atlanta is the city where: The strip club cartels draw in pretty youth as 
  “employees,”slowed down only by the Mob and the Zenas, a city wide guardian gang out 
  to protect young women. 
  • 
  Atlanta is the city where: All the shipping from Europe passes through, and plenty of 
  black market goods come through as well. Anything can be bought here, whether in the 
  great mallplexes that stretch for miles or from the backalley black market dealers. 
  • 
  Atlanta is the city where: The highways are always packed, the restaurants are never 
  empty, the offices never close, the stores are always open, and the party never stops from 
  Buckhead to Midtown to Downtown, except when the Booster gangs rampage through. 
  • 
  Atlanta is the city where: The Mafia and the Tong and the street gangs are stopped in 
  their protection rackets by the Citizen’s Defense Groups and the Guardian Gangs. 
  • 
  Atlanta is the city where: The African, Tejano, Jewish, gay, Chinese, Korean, Japanese, 
  and even American cultures and music and food and languages all mix, except in the 
  walled bigoted districts and in the closed minds of the hate gangs. 
  • 
  Atlanta is the city where: The roads are so packed and cars so expensive that bike 
  couriers and traffic police are never at a loss for work, and where you might as well ride a 
  motorcycle, take the bus or a pedicab, or ride your own bike if you don’t mind dodging 
  the bosozuko. 
  • 
  Atlanta is the city where you can: Party all night in a Buckhead club, have excellent 
  Mexican food in Smyrna, and break into a Eurocorp facility downtown after scoping 
  some culture at a museum or play or at the symphony. 
  • 
  Atlanta is the city where you can: See bloodsports in one of Atlanta’s many sports 
  facilities, outrun a hate or booster or chromer gang on the streets, and then watch the 
  gang turn some other hapless victims into pulp, until you can snipe at the gangers from 
  safety. 
  • 
  Atlanta is the city where you can: Sit in traffic on the perimeter highway, or downtown 
  highway, or any road that the nihilists have locked up until the riot police give them their 
  wish. 
  Atlanta is the richest city in the United States. Surrounded by dirt poor Dixie, Atlanta was 
  pulled through the Collapse with money from the Eurocorps. Now the city has to contend 
  with the political pull of the Dixiecrats, the demands of the Eurocorps, 2 million zeroes, 
  gangs and organized crime, urban decay and a collapsing infrastructure, pollution, and 
  all else that technology has wrought. 
  
  Contents
  Contents
  Contents
  Contents    
  Atlanta History 
  Life in Atlanta in 2020 
  Cultures in the City 
  The Eurocorps 
  Roadways/Getting Around 
  Law & Order: Cops & Corporate Security 
  Citizen’s Defense Groups & Guardian Gangs 
  Crime & Gangs 
  Atlanta History to 2020
  Atlanta History to 2020
  Atlanta History to 2020
  Atlanta History to 2020    
  By 2020, Atlanta is probably the richest of the U.S. cities. It’s populace is one of 
  the most heavily armed, best educated, and technically minded in the U.S.Now, 
  how did such a place come to be in the middle of dirt poor Dixie, a land controlled 
  by cronyists and populated with poor farmers and industrial workers? 
  Well, as the old joke goes, if you drive 20 minutes outside of Atlanta, why, you’re 
  in Georgia! This has been true since at least the last half of the twentieth century. 
  While most of the southeastern states had weak economies, kept that way by a 
  lack of industry, that was changing by the 1980’s. Research Triangle and a new 
  international airport had helped North Carolina. Tennessee cities were starting to 
  gain strength from all the trucking going through their state, as well as a little 
  tourism. Alabama, Kentucky, and Mississippi still remained poor, rural 
  backwaters, though. 
  Perhaps surprisingly, Georgia had a strong economy. Although Georgia was like 
  the other Southern states — rural, with a poorly educated populace — it had two 
  things that the other states didn’t: increasingly diversified manufacturing and 
  industry, and the transit hub to move the goods, it’s capital city Atlanta. 
  
  Atlanta started as the rail hub of the southeast in the nineteenth century. In the 
  twentieth century it became the trucking hub of the southeast as well, aided by its 
  inordinate number of interstate highways. I-20 crossed east to west, connecting 
  Alabama and South Carolina. I-75 went from the northwest corner to the 
  southeast corner, touching both Tennessee and Florida. I-85 linked from 
  northeast to southwest, connecting Florida and North Carolina. 
  Ships came to the Carolinas and Florida and their goods were transported 
  through Georgia to the rest of the nation. Raw materials were brought in, 
  manufactured to finished products, and shipped back out. Georgia’s many 
  agricultural products, including it’s famous peaches and peanuts, were shipped 
  nationally and worldwide. 
  In the 1970’s, Atlanta’s mayor Maynard Jackson brought in an international 
  airport. Hartsfield International Airport brought in much international and high 
  tech business. That in turn brought people moving from all over the country to fill 
  the new jobs these businesses created. The recessions of the 1980’s and 1990’s 
  affected Atlanta only slightly; it’s economy was too diversified to be hit hard like 
  the other major U.S. cities were. 
  Atlanta was awarded the 1996 Olympics, which would have been the crowning 
  touch to finally show the nation that it was no longer the land of Gone with the 
  Wind, but a successful, high tech city. 
  But in 1994 the U.S. economy collapsed. Although much business fled the rest of 
  the Southeast, including Georgia, Atlanta was such an economic powerhouse 
  that it’s corporations stayed. Although the destruction of the U.S. economy 
  effectively ended much national business, Atlanta was able to survive by building 
  up its international business. 
  Already an established center of agriculture, shipping, manufacturing, industrial 
  processing, research, technical support, and international tourism, Atlanta was 
  able to sidestep the European embargo by processing only European products 
  for a few years. With the U.S. economy in a shambles, there weren’t many 
  American products to process anyway. 
  
  Led by Bill Campbell, a strong, empathic, and effective mayor, one in a line that 
  featured such capable individuals as Maynard Jackson & Andrew Young, Atlanta 
  was able to counter much of its lost revenue with money from the ever escalating 
  food prices, while still managing to feed it’s own people. 
  Campbell, had the foresight to push hard to insure that the 1996 Olympics did 
  indeed come to Atlanta. This not only provided a bright spot for Americans during 
  the collapse, it told the world that Atlanta was still vital, and was still a place for 
  international and national business. Mayor Campbell, wisely used as much 
  American labor as possible during the Olympics. Security was a total nightmare, 
  as the population of the city had more than doubled to 6 million, and there many 
  people who felt that Atlanta had sold out to the Euros. Atlanta’s already greatly 
  expanded police and National Guard were assisted by several European security 
  groups and a newcomer to the field from Japan — Arasaka. 
  Starting with the collapse, all available National Guard were activated into full 
  time service. Aggressive hiring swelled the ranks of the police to double their 
  number. Private security companies sprang up, moved in from elsewhere in the 
  states, or were provided by Europe. European companies paid much of the 
  salaries of these police and security people; they were in not just for a 
  Europenny, but the whole Eurodollar. 
  Despite the embargo and the actions of the Gang of Four, many Eurocorps 
  wanted the U.S. to remain open to them as a market. If not today, then in a few 
  years when the Gang of Four was gone and the U.S. had bounced back. In the 
  meantime, they were keeping open old facilities and securing new ones in the 
  U.S., and not just in Atlanta. With the U.S. economy resembling blackened toast, 
  many cities were happy to take European money to try to survive. 
  With thousands of people a day trying to emigrate to a city that still had a 
  functioning economy, the police, the National Guard, and the security companies 
  were not enough. The biggest aid to security was the general populace, who had 
  armed themselves as never before. Gun manufacturers, gun runners, and firing 
  range operators all became rich. All kinds of ammunition could be bought at any 
  
  convenience store. Even years later, in 2020, Atlanta is still a very heavily armed 
  city. Despite the best efforts of everyone officially providing security, death by 
  violence became common as people took the ultimate means to hold on to their 
  food and belongings. The police standard kit was no longer a pistol and flak 
  jacket, but full armor and autorifles. All official security personnel traveled in 
  groups no smaller than four. 
  Just after the glorious Olympics, the hopes of the American populace were 
  dashed again. In August of 1996, martial law was declared nationwide. 
  Over the next few years, the densely packed millions of homeless that emigrated 
  to the outskirts of Atlanta, and those that had actually been permitted to move 
  into the city or its large suburbs, were decimated by the Wasting Plague. This 
  was despite the best efforts of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), which are 
  located in Atlanta. 
  If you were an official resident of Atlanta or its official suburbs, forgetting your ID 
  no longer just meant you couldn’t buy alcohol; now it meant you were thrown in a 
  holding tank where you had 24 hours to prove you were a citizen before being 
  deported to the city’s borders. And a citizen in a holding tank with homeless 
  could well be in big trouble. 
  While King Gardener and the other Dixiecrats were picking up steam at the turn 
  of the century, he had very little influence on Atlanta itself. There were millions of 
  rural Georgians, barely clinging on, that he did manage to rouse, but Atlanta had 
  been largely a separate entity for 30 years. Since the bulk of the state’s revenue, 
  especially in the 2000’s, was derived from Atlanta businesses and industry, he 
  could only demonize the city so far. 
  Atlanta’s association with the Eurocorps prevented it from having political power 
  nationally. And although the population of Atlanta were multi-cultural, educated, 
  and technologically savvy, they were surrounded by poorly educated rednecks 
  with a mob mentality fanned by King Gardener. 
  By 2020, many more people had come to replace the millions that had died from 
  the wasting plague. Eight million people now live in the city. In the past, the 
  
  boundary between the city and its suburbs had been thought of as I-285, the 
  highway that circled the city. Now, the city is thought of as including all of Cobb 
  County to the northwest of I-285, Gwinnett County to northeast, and Decatur to 
  the east. 
  Huge highways connect all parts of the city. Outside the city, the highways are 
  surprisingly well maintained. Shipping is still a going concern both to and from 
  Europe, and shipping still provides revenue for Florida and South Carolina. 
  Trucking is once again important to Tennessee and other points north and west. 
  And the national monorail stops in Atlanta for goods and people. 
  Life in Atlanta in 2020
  Life in Atlanta in 2020
  Life in Atlanta in 2020
  Life in Atlanta in 2020    
  An
  An
  An
  An    armed city
  armed city
  armed city
  armed city    
  People in Atlanta are very polite. They say please and thank you. This is partly 
  due to Atlanta’s history of Southern hospitality, and partly due to the armed 
  populace.During the collapse Atlantans took up arms, and have not put them 
  back down. 
  So how do gangers have success at the old megaviolence in a city where an 
  estimated 50% of the populace is armed? Enlightened self interest. Not all of the 
  50% are carrying guns. Almost all of this 50%, with the exception of guardian 
  gangers, carry weapons only to protect themselves. The average citizen is not 
  trained in combat, and has had only minimal training, and probably no 
  experience, in using their weapons. A mixed group of people on the street faced 
  with an oncoming horde of gangers would not act as a team. Some of them might 
  try to snipe at the gangers, but most will run away. 
  Now, if one mugger tries to rob or beat somebody, then the populace at large will 
  whip out their weapons, because one person is not very threatening. A gang 25 
  or 100, wearing the same clothes, acting together, are. 
  
  Most people who carry a weapon carry one of the following: mace, a paint pistol 
  with sleep rounds, or a light or medium handgun. Any one of these is sufficient to 
  handle or intimidate a mugger or burglar. 
  Citizen’s Defense Groups are another story entirely. They have trained in tactics 
  to deal with gangers, and they also tote heavier guns, frequently light rifles or 
  shotguns. (see Citizen’s Defense Groups) 
  There’s a lot of people
  There’s a lot of people
  There’s a lot of people
  There’s a lot of people    
  Approximately 8 million people live in and around Atlanta. 2 million of these are 
  zeros; they have no legal identity. The zeros include all the nomads who work in 
  the city, but nomads account for only about 1 to 2 hundred thousand zeros. The 
  rest are permanent residents of the city.Something is always being torn down 
  and something else is always being built; nomads handle much of the 
  construction. 
  The city has almost triple the population of 1994. Up until 2010, there weren’t that 
  many skyscrapers or 10 story or taller buildings in Atlanta, compared to other 
  large cities. But the dramatic increase in population has added quite a few tall 
  apartment buildings. 
  Traffic is always heavy, although it moves. 
  The city is awake 24 hours a day. There are always clubs and restaurants to go 
  to, and jobs and biz to do. 
  The Eurocorps rule
  The Eurocorps rule
  The Eurocorps rule
  The Eurocorps rule    
  Certainly the Eurocorps needed, and still need, Atlanta as their shipping hub into 
  the U.S., but they pumped big money into Atlanta to keep it afloat during the 
  Collapse, and they won’t let anyone in Atlanta forget that. Anything that is 
  Eurocorp property and anyone who is Eurocorp personnel or their families are 
  protected by Eurocorp security forces. Although not officially police, the security 
  forces do not yield their jurisdiction to the Atlanta police, who can even be asked 
  to leave corporate property! And the Eurocorps own all kinds of things, including 
  
  their office and apartment buildings downtown, their warehouses in Gwinnett and 
  on the Southside, Hartsfield International Airport, factories, industrial plants, and 
  numerous small offices everywhere throughout the city.District presidents can 
  and do “suggest” courses of action to the mayor or other political and city 
  officials. These can include “requests” to allow dumping, zoning “suggestions,” 
  “cooperative warrants” for the arrest of someone who (allegedly) committed a 
  crime on corporate property but isn’t there anymore, providing building permits, 
  or memos advising of a “required” change in the city infrastructure. 
  Education
  Education
  Education
  Education    
  Although there are public schools, you only send your kids there if you can’t 
  afford anything else. Corporations provide schooling for their employee’s 
  children. Such schools, while very good, include lots of corporate propaganda 
  into the curriculum. Most neighborhoods participate in a contribution scheme to 
  help parents pay for private school. The schemes are not voluntary; when you 
  move in, you contribute. Nomads frequently provide the teachers for these 
  schools, as they have the largest pool of teachers, and work cheap. 
  The Big Commute
  The Big Commute
  The Big Commute
  The Big Commute    
  Atlanta is a geographically spread out city. It is approximately a 20 mile diameter 
  circle, ringed by the perimeter highway, I-285. It extends for about another 10 
  miles north of the perimeter, and about 2 to 5 miles east, west, and south of the 
  perimeter.Highways criss cross it every imaginable way. People are always 
  crossing the city, to do biz, to party, to move goods, to shop (shopping exists only 
  in certain areas now), and to go to work. 
  Many commuters take public transportation and have most of an hour to kill one 
  way each day, and they watch TV through their pocket computers. Rush hours 
  have become a mini prime time, filled with talk shows, news, sitcoms, soaps, and 
  other dramas. 
  
  A shipping hub
  A shipping hub
  A shipping hub
  A shipping hub    
  The highways are filled with trucks, and the air with cargo zeppelins.Gwinnett is 
  where the zeppelins take on and drop off their loads. This broad, open county is 
  now full of warehouse parks with zeppelin parking areas. Trucks come here to 
  hand off their loads to the zeppelins. 
  The Southside of the city is where all the trucks go; that’s where their 
  warehouses are. Besides, this is close to the airport. 
  Just south of I-285 is Hartsfield International Airport. The Collapse facilitated it 
  taking over the surrounding area; Hartsfield is now three miles square. It has 
  eight hubs for jets, sub-orbitals, and passenger zeppelins. A small city unto itself, 
  Hartsfield has innumerable restaurants and hotels, bus and train stations, 
  warehousing and trucking. Hartsfield gradually blends into the surrounding 
  Southside. 
  Where to eat
  Where to eat
  Where to eat
  Where to eat    
  There are about a bajillion restaurants of every description here: Italian, Mexican, 
  Indian, Thai, Spanish, Russian, Continental, Cuban, Jamaican, fast food, and a 
  Waffle House on every corner and off every exit from I-75. 
  Where to shop
  Where to shop
  Where to shop
  Where to shop    
  The Collapse killed much of the shopping in Atlanta; there are about half as 
  many stores as there were before the Collapse, and three times the population. 
  Most shopping now is concentrated in the gigantic Mallplexes. Almost all store 
  buildings from the twentieth century have either been converted into housing or 
  razed and an apartment building built in its place. 
  Cumberland Mallplex
  Cumberland Mallplex
  Cumberland Mallplex
  Cumberland Mallplex    
  
  Just off Highway 41, where Highways 41, I-75, & I-285 come together, is 
  Cumberland Mall, the Galleria Mall and Conference Center, Akers Mill Shopping 
  Center, and several other major shopping locations. Also located here is Trans-
  Galactic Screens, “The 3D movie complex big enough to fill the galaxy!” featuring 
  50 screens; enough screens to show pretty much everything released worldwide 
  at once. These separate shopping areas used to be separated by 41 and other 
  roads here. To facilitate foot traffic and ease parking problems, they are now 
  connected by a clearly marked series of enclosed moving walkways. Supported 
  by 15 hotels, 2 convention centers, several food courts, 20 restaurants, and 20 
  apartment complexes (most also connected), a visitor could walk the malls for 
  days, never leaving the air conditioned comfort.An entire mall subculture has 
  sprung up, and it is particularly evident in this giant mall. Yogangs of skaters, 
  thrashers (skateboarders), mall brats, tunnel crawlers, and more all thrive here. 
  Fixers do plenty of biz here, specializing in reselling, gray market, and black 
  market items. 
  Perimeter Mallplex Located just off the intersection of 400 and I-285, Perimeter 
  Mall has grown into a mallplex. The section of Ashford-Dunwoody that passes in 
  front of the mall is now a tunnel, covered by a vast 10 story apartment complex. 
  The mall itself has grown to 6 stories. There are 4 stories of parking for the mall, 
  and another 4 for the apartments. The apartment parking is a maze of covered 
  roads that can be reached from designated ramps in the mall parking. 
  There is no direct access from the roads around (and through) the mall to 
  apartment parking. Instead, the card-entry access ramps are scattered all around 
  and, in a few cases, throughout the mall parking. This prevents traffic from 
  backing up on the through streets. Several through lanes have been added 
  around and through the mall parking to facilitate the apartment parking and upper 
  level mall parking access ramps. 
  There is a separate entrance from the apartment plex to the MARTA station. It is 
  security monitored, in addition to the standard MARTA station security force. 
  
  There are covered tube walkways to the hotels and little shopping malls around 
  Perimeter Mallplex. These typically end in an escalator to ground level. The little 
  malls, like Park Place, surround themselves with many tall trees to compensate 
  for the vast visual bulk of the mallplex. 
  Lenox/Phipps
  Lenox/Phipps
  Lenox/Phipps
  Lenox/Phipps    
  Another mallplex, this one is in Buckhead. 
  Little 5 Points & Virginia
  Little 5 Points & Virginia
  Little 5 Points & Virginia
  Little 5 Points & Virginia----Highlands
  Highlands
  Highlands
  Highlands    
  The home of funkiness in Atlanta, these conglomerations of cutting edge stores 
  are for the hipper than thou. You can’t shop there properly without a Fashion 
  Sense of +2 or greater. There are some clubs in these locations as well, also 
  incredibly hip. 
  What to buy
  What to buy
  What to buy
  What to buy    
  Atlanta is a rich city and a shipping and smuggling hub. It is coated in organized 
  crime. Anything can be purchased here. Although you might expect prices to be 
  higher than other places, the surfeit of goods going through the city removes that 
  problem. What follows are just a few examples of goods for purchase. Expect 
  that anything your GM is willing to have available can be bought here. Black 
  market items are trickier and more expensive to come by, unless they are of the 
  “second hand” variety, in which case they are cheaper. 
  Ammo
  Ammo
  Ammo
  Ammo    
  All common kinds are available from any convenience store. Atlanta is a very 
  heavily armed city, and thus a very polite city. You check your guns at the door of 
  any bar, and they don’t give them back if you still look too drunk when you leave. 
  You can come back the next day. 
  
  Chemically bonded textiles
  Chemically bonded textiles
  Chemically bonded textiles
  Chemically bonded textiles    
  These are fabrics that have had other chemicals bonded at the molecular level, 
  granting them special properties. They are not cheap, but fairly common. Such 
  fabrics can variously be completely resistant to disease, waterproof (waterproof 
  cotton denim being very common), ionically charged for use as water and air 
  filters, etc. 
  Computers
  Computers
  Computers
  Computers    
  Processing power, memory storage, miniaturization, and battery technology are 
  all vastly improved from the 1990’s.The average pocket computer is more often a 
  multi-media and communications powerhouse than a data processing system. At 
  the size of a walkman, it is so small that input capability consists of a touch 
  screen and voice command. It includes as standard features several slots for 
  data chips, a cell phone/ modem/ fax, two small high-quality stereo speakers, 
  folding headphones, TV reception, teleconferencing, and radio reception. Other 
  options include a roll out screen, garage door opener, car security/lock system 
  electronic key, electronic key for the apartment or house, garage door opener, 
  answering machine, VCR substitute (since now you use chips instead of tapes 
  for recording), music dubbing — recording anything actually, and a credit/ debit 
  card replacement (holding the account access information that would otherwise 
  be on a card or a chip). 
  Security lockouts are obviously very important. Most features require the use of a 
  PIN or password. To access a different feature would require the entry of a PIN 
  or password. For example, you are sitting on the bus, busily typing away into 
  your wordprocessing program. A gang member puts a gun to your head and 
  takes your pocket computer. However, he can’t use anything else on your 
  computer besides the word processor or your other utilities unless he has your 
  PIN or password. He can’t access your credit accounts without plugging your 
  computer into a transacting computer, having your pin, and being you as only 
  
  you have the correct fingerprint or retinal scan, which is indexed with the rest of 
  your account information. 
  But hey, you think, what’s to stop this gonk from threatening me with that pistol 
  again and getting the pin that unlocks my electronic house key feature? Simple. 
  Since society has reached the point where all of your electronic goodies are now 
  this one device, if that device is stolen, you’re screwed. However, there is a very 
  simple security measure that defeats that. 
  This is a second, security PIN. This pin will open your electronic doors, or access 
  your accounts, but it will also activate a 911 code built into your electronic house 
  or ATM and tell the police who you are, where you are now, and that you are in 
  trouble. And gonkhead knows that if he puts a gun to your head, you will type in 
  this 911 PIN. And either the cops or a private security firm will show up to shoot 
  him if he hangs around. Or worse, in tightly knit communities, the whole block will 
  go on alert. Also, your security PIN will shut down your pocket computer. Now 
  gonkhead can’t access it at all without your regular PIN. 
  This won’t stop crime, because gonkhead can manage to rob you too fast for 
  help to arrive. But, if he shoots you, he doesn’t get your PIN, and can’t use your 
  pocket computer except for the one thing it was already doing. If he threatens 
  your life to get your PIN, he is likely to get the security PIN, which will either shut 
  off your computer, summon help, or both. He can still shoot you, but now he has 
  to contend with people trying to shoot him unless he runs like heck. And if he 
  shoots you and gets caught, he will definitely be shot until he is dead. You may 
  live. If he just grabs your computer, he doesn’t have the PIN. See above. (Of 
  course, there are crime rings that specialize in cracking PIN’s from computers.) 
  And what with violent crime so prevalent, and this being a society where people 
  have taken to arming themselves to fight back against that violent crime (with 
  more violence, of course), if you shout for help, some concerned macho citizen 
  may just plug the gonk for being a violent criminal (as opposed to a violent 
  citizen). 
  
  Gonkhead will not grab your computer on a city bus, because if he does he will 
  be shot half the time. 
  Hey, what if, like most people, I don’t want to enter a PIN every time I use a new 
  function? Then a thief can access all of your stuff, except for money functions, 
  which require additional identification and the PIN automatically. 
  A simple trick for the electronic key functions: You have to type a really simple 
  code or PIN, of 2 or 3 digits to activate it (which can be done from the middle of 
  another function, of course). For example, when you step out of your car, you 
  type 1 and 5 to lock your car, then you do it again to unlock your apartment door. 
  Your pocket computer is handy for playing books, music, audio-books, movies, 
  and with a plug in joystick, video games. The teleconferencing miniature camera 
  and microphone obviously make this a video camera as well (with a lens 
  enhancement, which most people don’t bother to buy), since it can input that 
  information to data chip. Most forms of media, such as books, musical albums, 
  and movies are now usually on chip. 
  If you want low-tech input that is faster than the touch screen, buy a keyboard. 
  Modern keyboards can break open into two pieces for better ergonomics. The 
  two halves fold together to form a plastic case about the size of a paperback 
  book. 
  For high-tech input, buy the direct neural interface option, and then just plug in. 
  Of course, this makes security very easy, since if it’s not your brainwaves, the 
  computer will know because it will have to readjust itself, and it will lock all 
  functions. And activate the 911 feature. “Hello, police. This is Ernst’s pocket 
  computer, dialing you using my built-in cellular phone, and I have been stolen. 
  Please locate the perpetrators with your computer placement system, tied into 
  the cellular network, and kill them.” 
  Of course, no one steals a pocket computer to have a computer. They only cost 
  about $150, plus optional features and the monthly phone bill. Duuh. 
  Fashion
  Fashion
  Fashion
  Fashion    
  
  The big news for women’s fashions this year: Big purses and hippacks are all the 
  rage, because they can hold a sidearm. Now, whether one is actually there is just 
  a chance a potential mugger will have to take…With its preeminence as a 
  wealthy city, Atlanta designers are, more and more frequently, setting the styles. 
  Another influence on fashion in Atlanta is the temperature: global warming 
  caused by industrialism has raised the average temperature, and the summers 
  are sweltering, ranging up to 105 degrees from May through August. Everyone, 
  male and female, go as bare as they dare, and wear very light fabrics besides. 
  Waterproof suntan lotions with SPF’s of 50, 75, and 100 are common, as are 
  water bottles. 
  Office fashion is split into summerwear and winterwear. Summerwear is made 
  from very light fabric with a light weave. Men’s suits are in light shades (navy and 
  black are right out for summer unless you are a serious mover) and ties have 
  almost completely disappeared. Women’s officewear is in very bright colors and 
  a huge number of cuts are available to accommodate any figure. 
  Winterwear uses darker colors and medium to heavy fabrics. Temperatures in 
  winter still drop to freezing, but not often, and rarely below. 
  The biggest rage in street fashion now is the armored baseball hat. At SP12 and 
  25 E$ this Generic style hat with the equivalent of Reacti-mesh for comfort, 
  everybody on the street wears one of these, brim backward down over the back 
  of their head. Keeps the sun off and your head intact. 
  So what do Atlanta & Georgia look like in 2020? Atlanta is a very spread out city. 
  It never needed to build upwards until the twenty-first century, and even now 
  there aren’t more than two dozen skyscrapers over 50 stories tall. There are 
  many, many 20 and 30 story apartment buildings, office buildings, and hotels, 
  though. 
  Most of the buildings in Atlanta are one and two story houses, stores, and office 
  buildings, or houses converted from stores. 
  There is no dominant or even common style of architecture or design. The only 
  exception is that neighborhoods usually have the same style houses. 
  
  Although overall the city looks much like it did 25 years ago, the names have all 
  changed. All the stores and corporations and restaurants and clubs and bars are 
  different. 
  Outside of Atlanta are the gradually decaying empty ruins of many small towns 
  scattered along the highways and roads. Sometimes small nomad groups stay in 
  these, but there isn’t any work, so they don’t stay for long. 
  The only people who live outside of Atlanta are poor agricorp employees or 
  poorer independent farmers. 
  Places to go in At
  Places to go in At
  Places to go in At
  Places to go in Atlanta in 2020 Midtown
  lanta in 2020 Midtown
  lanta in 2020 Midtown
  lanta in 2020 Midtown    
  The northeast part of the city. Where funkiness resides in the city. Lots of clubs, 
  lots of sleaze, lots of fun. Where the most interesting clubs and funkiest shops 
  lurk. Also where the strip clubs and their ilk have settled. Theaters for plays. 
  Drama troupes, the Atlanta Symphony, the Atlanta Ballet, museums, the arts. 
  Although the arts were largely crushed during the Collapse, the arts in Atlanta 
  have been making a comeback with the patronage of the Eurocorps.Buckhead 
  North of Midtown. The party strip in Atlanta. Littered with clubs and bars of all 
  descriptions. The farther you move from the center of Buckhead, the fewer and 
  more specialized clubs you will find. 
  Downtown The middle of the city. Where the Eurocorps and other big corps are. 
  Lots of big office buildings. Fancy restaurants. 
  Smyrna The northwest side of the city. Lurking on the outskirts of Cobb County, 
  this section hosts the gigantic Cumberland Mallplex, the Mexican/Tejano 
  community, and lots of good Mexican food. 
  Stone Mountain/Gwinnett The east side of the city. Where the zeppelins go. 
  Home of Stone Mountain Park, the largest piece of granite in the world. The park 
  has been taken over by homeless people, nomads, and gangers. Northpoint 
  Mallplex. 
  Southside/combat zone The farther out from the airport, or the farther south from 
  downtown you move, the more decrepit the area becomes, until it becomes full-
  
  fledged urban decay. This area, both inside and outside the perimeter (driving 
  the southernmost portion of the loop is no fun) is now a wasteland for gangs, 
  nomads, zeros, and the homeless. Black market biz, strip clubs, sex clubs, slave 
  auctions, all the worst moments of humanity are to be found here. 
  Sandy Springs The northwest part of the city. Housing and small businesses of 
  every description. 
  The Different Cultures in Atlanta
  The Different Cultures in Atlanta
  The Different Cultures in Atlanta
  The Different Cultures in Atlanta    
  Atlanta is 45% African American, 5% Chinese and Korean, 5% Mexican/Tejano, 
  1% European (including French, German, & British), and the remaining 44% is 
  everybody else.People of all races and cultures mix, date, make friendships, 
  make enemies, work, and play with each other. Multi-racial friendships and 
  marriages are common. 
  African
  African
  African
  African----Americans
  Americans
  Americans
  Americans    
  African-Americans are the largest cultural group in Atlanta. Although largely 
  mixed with the other cultural groups, there are still many almost exclusively black 
  clubs, bars, restaurants, neighborhoods and stores. African-American culture has 
  a heavy influence on art, clothing, music, politics, and pop culture.The civil rights 
  movement has deep roots in Atlanta, and many of the leaders of the movement 
  went on to positions of political power, so African-Americans have a solid political 
  power base in Atlanta. 
  Chinese and Koreans
  Chinese and Koreans
  Chinese and Koreans
  Chinese and Koreans    
  Probably the most socially isolated of the many cultural groups (which is still not 
  very isolated by 20th century standards), the Chinese and Koreans tend to have 
  businesses in the same neighborhoods, and live in the same areas. The 
  “Chinatown” in Atlanta is at least equally Korean, although Chinese and Korean 
  cultures are very different.Chinese have more power at the street level than the 
  
  Koreans: more politicians, more business owners, and more criminals are 
  Chinese than Korean, but this balance may be shifting. 
  Mexican & Tejano
  Mexican & Tejano
  Mexican & Tejano
  Mexican & Tejano    
  Perhaps surprisingly for an East coast city, Atlanta has a large Mexican 
  population. They came in search of jobs, like everybody else, starting in the 
  1990’s, and brought with them their music, food, and language, all of which are 
  popular in Atlanta in 2020.The one thing that distinguishes them from everybody 
  else in Atlanta is that Spanish is still their primary language. Tejano music 
  (Spanish language pop with Spanish musical influence) and its descendants (like 
  Tejano honky tonk) are club favorites as they are extremely danceable. 
  Europeans
  Europeans
  Europeans
  Europeans    
  Many Eurocorps moved major operations to Atlanta. The execs and skilled 
  workers brought their families. Europeans aren’t citizens of Atlanta or the U.S., 
  and they aren’t very numerous, but they do have a lot of pull, and harming one 
  brings harsh repercussions.Eurocorporates and their family members are 
  considered to be corporate citizens, and thus their police are the security forces 
  of the appropriate corporation. For crimes involving a Eurocitizen outside of the 
  corp zones, the Musketeers or other corporate security specialists work with the 
  Atlanta police. Jurisdiction is fuzzy in such cases, but usually falls in the favor of 
  the Euros. 
  Everybody else
  Everybody else
  Everybody else
  Everybody else    
  This last group includes Caucasians and any cultural group not mentioned 
  above. Example of these would be people of Scottish, Irish, Jewish, or Indian 
  heritage. Most of the cultures in Atlanta are fairly well mixed, but there are still 
  areas, neighborhoods, restaurants, clubs, bars, etc. that are primarily frequented 
  by one type, race, religion, etc.Atlanta popular culture is primarily a mixture of 
  
  black and white music, art, dance, theatre, fashion, and the net (including 3D TV, 
  3V). The international cross-influencing of ideas is part of everyday life now. 
  Every country takes some piece of another country’s pop culture, and redoes in 
  their own way. U.S. pop music has been redone in slightly changed local styles 
  by almost every country from Japan to Spain. And vice versa. 
  Cultural Diversity and Prejudice
  Cultural Diversity and Prejudice
  Cultural Diversity and Prejudice
  Cultural Diversity and Prejudice    
  Prejudice has had another two generations of social change. Although still 
  present, particularly amongst certain radical elements, it is much weaker than in 
  the 1990’s. People are generally aware of cultural diversity, having grown up with 
  it both locally and from using the world connecting net. Most people are aware 
  that if somebody comes from a different section of town, another state, another 
  country, or are of a different race, that there is going to be some difference in 
  culture, and to keep that in mind when trying to communicate. This is not 
  prejudice, but rather an acceptance of cultural diversity.Racism and homophobia, 
  however, are still an unfortunate reality. The vast majority of Atlantans grew up in 
  an environment of diverse cultures and races, and don’t suffer from this form of 
  ignorance. However, enclaves of racism or other forms of bigotry not only still 
  exist, but some have been formed in a conservative backlash to all the diversity. 
  Some enclaves produce racial hate motivated products, like Anglo-Krispies, The 
  cereal made by white people! It’s not very good, anyway. 
  Prejudice towards homosexuals, bisexuals, certain religions, or anyone for that 
  matter, is not as prevalent as it was in the 1990’s. However, where prejudice 
  exists, it is often of the hardcore mentality. (See Gangs, Hate Gangs). 
  Probably the ugliest example of an area where hatred is sanctioned is the Cobb 
  County Conservative District. This place was the first nationally known of the 
  bigoted walled cities or suburbs. In the early 2000’s Cobb County’s conservatism 
  and declared hatred of homosexuals reached new and ugly boundaries as this 
  section of east Cobb County announced in the national media that they would no 
  longer allow “unacceptables” in. It walled itself off and put roadblocks at the 
  
  highways exit ramps and other entrance points. Residents must have a pass to 
  enter and proper identification. Only the most conservative live there now. All 
  gays, Hispanics, African-Americans, and other non-whites moved out. A few 
  conservative Jews belong, much to the chagrin of other Jews. The District even 
  funds a hate gang to violently harass gays! 
  The Eurocorps
  The Eurocorps
  The Eurocorps
  The Eurocorps    
  Although few companies have major offices under their own name in Atlanta, 
  almost all U.S. and European companies have subsidiaries in the city. Most of 
  these subsidiaries are involved in industrial production, manufacturing, shipping 
  (truck, zeppelin, train, plane, or orbital), warehousing, research and development, 
  training, retail sales, restaurants, and agriculture (actually done outside of 
  Atlanta).IEC (International Electric Corporation), EBM (Euro Business Machines), 
  Zetatech, Datatel, Tritech, Microtech, Techtronica, Raven Microcyb, Network 
  News 54, WNS (World News Services), Trauma Team, REO Meatwagon, 
  Militech, Lazarus, Orbital Air, and many others all have offices and some sort of 
  major presence in Atlanta. 
  Arasaka
  Arasaka
  Arasaka
  Arasaka    
  Arasaka provides security for the small number of Japanese corps and 
  neighborhoods in town. Their facilities are all incorporated into the facilities of 
  whatever company they are contracted to. 
  IEC (International Electric Corporation)
  IEC (International Electric Corporation)
  IEC (International Electric Corporation)
  IEC (International Electric Corporation)    
  IEC has the largest presence in Atlanta of any of the corps. It’s major 
  subsidiaries all have an executive presence here, enough to oversee the many 
  minor subsidiaries. There are 43 manufacturing companies, 4 industrial 
  companies running a total of 20 industrial plants, 5 truck shipping lines, 3 
  zeppelin shipping lines, 1 plane shipping line, 6 warehousing firms (of differing 
  
  security and quality levels), 4 major R&D operations that are attached under the 
  major subsidiaries (they perform research for all of IEC’s companies), 2 
  subsidiary R&D companies, 1 agricorp, 45 retail outlets (including the popular 
  Music King, Streetslam Cyberdecks, Pretty Lady jewelry stores, and more), 15 
  industrial parts suppliers, 3 industrial parts distributors, 1 electronics distributor, 
  Seward Media corp, 1 moving company (Pitbull Movers), PowerSun 
  Management (manages the apartment buildings and hotels IEC owns), 
  PowerSun Real Estate (owns IEC’s apartment buildings and hotels), and 6 
  restaurants that serve European food. 
  Lazarus
  Lazarus
  Lazarus
  Lazarus    
  Lazarus has recruiting stations and an urban combat training unit here. They also 
  have liaisons with the rest of the business community. 
  Militech
  Militech
  Militech
  Militech    
  Militech maintains parts manufacturing and assembly plants in Atlanta, as well as 
  conducting urban training missions in the combat zone. Militech’s divisions here 
  include distribution and corporate sales. In a city as heavily armed as Atlanta, 
  there are many Militech stores. 
  Network News 54
  Network News 54
  Network News 54
  Network News 54    
  Network News 54 has a major regional office here, having eaten Turner 
  Broadcasting. The Atlanta regional office handles programming and news, 
  including gathering, purchasing, licensing, and selling programming and news. 
  There are good links on all kinds of news and entertainment in Atlanta: shipping, 
  sports, smuggling, dirty corporate dealings, riots, fashion, and cutting edge tech. 
  Orbital Air
  Orbital Air
  Orbital Air
  Orbital Air    
  
  Orbital Air controls orbital plane passenger flight and shipping from the Hartsfield 
  International Airport. To feed their orbital business, they own 2 shipping 
  companies, 1 passenger shuttle service, 2 cab companies, 7 hotels. Orbital Air 
  also owns 4 manufacturing companies, a logistics firm, stock brokers, a capital 
  company, and 3 retail outlets selling space paraphenalia. 
  REO Meatwagon
  REO Meatwagon
  REO Meatwagon
  REO Meatwagon    
  REO Meatwagon maintains trauma response operations in Atlanta; they run well 
  behind Trauma team in number of contracts. They also own a body bank and a 
  dog food company. So I guess if somebody is beyond help they still have a use 
  for the parts… 
  Sternmeyer
  Sternmeyer
  Sternmeyer
  Sternmeyer    
  IEC uses Sternmeyer weaponry, and Sternmeyer uses IEC manufacturing and 
  shipping. Sternmeyer maintains a small office for coordination operations with 
  IEC. 
  Trauma Team
  Trauma Team
  Trauma Team
  Trauma Team    
  Trauma Team maintains accounting and training offices here, as well as running 
  regular trauma response operations. As usual, Trauma Team is the major player 
  in the trauma response business. Since they train people here, the joke in Atlanta 
  goes, “Gee, I sure hope I don’t get shot. I would hate to have a Trauma Team 
  trainee doctor!” 
  WNS (World News Services)
  WNS (World News Services)
  WNS (World News Services)
  WNS (World News Services)    
  WNS is in Atlanta for all the same reasons Network News 54 is. WNS has a 
  smaller office, and focuses exclusively on news, not entertainment programming. 
  Cyberdeck, computer, and computer peripherals manufacturers
  Cyberdeck, computer, and computer peripherals manufacturers
  Cyberdeck, computer, and computer peripherals manufacturers
  Cyberdeck, computer, and computer peripherals manufacturers    
  
  EBM, Zetatech, Datatel, Tritech, Microtech, Techtronica, Raven Microcyb, and 
  others all maintain offices and subsidiaries in Atlanta for manufacturing, R&D, 
  and sales. They all use IEC parts, so it’s cheaper for them to have their 
  manufacturing where IEC does. Atlanta was and is a hot city for high tech. 
  Why the Eurocorps and other Corporations are in Atlanta
  Why the Eurocorps and other Corporations are in Atlanta
  Why the Eurocorps and other Corporations are in Atlanta
  Why the Eurocorps and other Corporations are in Atlanta    
  Shipping - Atlanta is the shipping connection for Europe to reach the rest of the 
  U.S. New York is radioactive. Boat transported goods have to go through Atlanta, 
  which is the only city with major trucking, rail, zeppelin, air, and orbital transport 
  on the east coast.Manufacturing and industrial production - After the Collapse, 
  Atlanta was littered with facilities whose owning corporations needed to sell. 
  Raw materials or semi-manufactured goods can be shipped in, finished, and 
  shipped out, without having to cross-ship across the country. 
  Research and Development - Atlanta already had the CDC and several excellent 
  technical, medical, business, and liberal arts universities, all of which focused 
  heavily on research. 
  Skilled workers - There was a huge pool of technically skilled and educated 
  workers who were happy just to eat and feed their families after the Collapse. 
  Technological infrastructure - By the time the Olympics were over in 1996, the 
  city was wired. It was the first city with digital cellular communications, the 
  ancestor of current cellular systems. It had several cellular systems, cable 
  systems, and fiber optic systems in place. 
  Getting around town: Highways, Public 
  Getting around town: Highways, Public 
  Getting around town: Highways, Public 
  Getting around town: Highways, Public 
  Transportation, and Bikes
  Transportation, and Bikes
  Transportation, and Bikes
  Transportation, and Bikes    
  As a shipping hub, Atlanta is coated in highways and major roads.Although the 
  population is now 8 million up from well under 3 million in 1995, the number of 
  cars has not increased very much since 1995. Most people can’t afford cars, 
  even the two seater super compact kind. 
  
  Public transportation has grown dramatically. The bus fleet has swollen from 200 
  to over 2500. In addition to the Atlanta city public transportation company, there 
  are several private bus companies that provide hourly intercity or intercounty 
  service. Atlanta has two, Gwinnett has one. Cobb only uses its CCT. 
  Cab companies have also grown dramatically, and there are several in the city, 
  plus gypsy cabs. Pedicabs are common for grocery shopping trips, or shoppers 
  take rolling carts with them on the bus. Those who can afford it have their 
  groceries delivered. 
  Many people bike to work now. There are bike paths and bike lanes all through 
  the city. “Pedalheads” can take their bikes on the buses with a special ticket (a 
  little more expensive than the usual commuter fare) and bike partway. Almost all 
  major roads (not highways) have a commuter bicycle lane, which is the outside 
  lane; some roads downtown have two. The bicycle lanes are mostly used by 
  pedicabs. Motorcycles are not permitted in these lanes, but this does not stop 
  some gangers. 
  Mopeds are also popular, and have their own paths in some areas. Usually they 
  are permitted on bike paths and lanes if the driver keeps their speed down. 
  Driving over 20mph is to invite gunplay. 
  The most common kind of car is the supercompact two seater. Motorcycles, 
  especially the recumbent covered kind, are also popular due to the low cost 
  when compared to a car. 
  Larger cars are restricted to those with economic muscle, those who have been 
  able to maintain their (CHOOH2 converted) cars from the twentieth century, or 
  anyone given a car as part of the pay for their job. Paying part of an employee’s 
  wages with a car is a very common practice in Atlanta. The city is so large that a 
  car is extremely helpful, and giving a car is a good way to insure loyalty. 
  All major highways now have at least one HOV (high occupancy vehicle) lane. 
  HOV lanes are not just for any vehicle with two or more people aboard, but also 
  for buses, cabs (with or without passengers), motorcycles (even single riders), 
  and police and emergency vehicles. Pregnant women can use the highways as a 
  
  courtesy even if driving alone. If they aren’t very obviously showing yet, a 
  pregnancy test result is required to avoid being ticketed. 
  Traffic
  Traffic
  Traffic
  Traffic    
  Atlanta’s traffic flow is controlled by a big AI named Bob. He runs the stoplights; 
  judges construction times; watches traffic flow through cameras and other 
  sensors at traffic nexi throughout the city; and directs and reroutes traffic flow 
  with electronic signs, radio reports, and computer map reports. Bob is a 
  tremendous help to the city, keeping traffic flowing well despite slowdowns and 
  accidents. Bob is well taken care of; he is a dedicated function AI. It sits in the 
  middle of a large datafortress protected by low level AI’s and sysops with lots of 
  supernasty programs and ice. Breaking into traffic control and messing up traffic 
  would totally shut down the city, and is a level 1 crime, and the sysops do what 
  the big signs on the outside of the fortress say they will, “ANYONE 
  ATTEMPTING TO ENTER TRAFFIC CONTROL DATA CENTRAL ILLEGALLY 
  WILL BE KILLED.”; no one has succeeded in messing up traffic yet; many have 
  died trying.So, you ask, has this AI controlled traffic system, combined with a 
  dramatic increase in public transportation and unusual transportation like bikes, 
  actually prevented traffic gridlock? Well, somewhat. Traffic usually moves, 
  although not over 50mph at most times, and not over 20mph during rush hour. 
  This is because there are so many vehicles on the roads. Traffic almost never 
  stops or crawls at 5mph due to an accident. It keeps moving, which is a pretty 
  amazing feat for such a dense infrastructure. 
  But traffic police still use motorcycle so they can go around sitting or slow cars. 
  Many people take public transportation and spend the one hour and more one-
  way ride time reading, watching TV, listening to radio, or surfing the net on their 
  pocket computers. Since crime is very rare on the subways anymore (See: 
  MARTA), and it’s not worth it to steal a pocket computer (See: Computers), this 
  is no big deal. 
  To get anywhere in Atlanta is probably at least a 30 minute trip. 
  
  Atlanta Highways
  Atlanta Highways
  Atlanta Highways
  Atlanta Highways    
  Atlanta is surrounded by a perimeter highway, which is strangely ranked as an 
  interstate, I-285. I-285 is frequently called the perimeter or just 285. Atlantans 
  drop the “I” when talking about any interstate highway. Atlantans still speak of 
  places being “inside the perimeter,” although the phrase “outside the perimeter” 
  is pretty much meaningless now, due to Atlanta’s expansion.I-75 crosses Atlanta 
  from northwest to southeast. (To the northwest it enters Tennessee and 
  immediately Chattanooga; to the southeast it enters Florida.) I-85 crosses Atlanta 
  along the other diagonal, from northeast to southwest. (I-85 runs from North 
  Carolina to Alabama.) 75 and 85 join in the middle of Atlanta, south (inside) of 
  the perimeter, and split again north (inside) of the perimeter. 
  I-20 crosses Atlanta and the state from west to east, from Alabama to Augusta, 
  South Carolina. It touches 285 on both the western and eastern portions of the 
  circle, and it crosses 75/85 where they are joined. 
  State Highway 400 (400/19) starts at 85, north of where 85 and 75 join. 400 
  crosses north under the perimeter, and reaches Roswell and Alpharetta. 
  41: In the mid 20th century, before I-75 was built, State Highway 41 was the 
  route to travel down to Florida. 75 parallels it for long stretches, and at many 
  points along 75 you will see exit signs to Highway 41. 41 is still inordinately 
  coated in those businesses that interstate road drivers need: restaurants, fast 
  food, hotels, motels, gas stations, and strip clubs. It also has all the kinds of 
  businesses that people from the more rural towns and smaller cities would drive 
  to a mid 20th century urban center for, like auto dealerships and big shopping 
  malls. 
  Georgia Highway Patrol
  Georgia Highway Patrol
  Georgia Highway Patrol
  Georgia Highway Patrol    
  Security on the highways outside the city is good — if the Georgia Highway 
  Patrol is around. Their manpower is spread thin trying to keep the highways safe 
  against the predations of nomad and redneck highwaymen. Although the locals 
  
  are supposed to be limited to .22 rifles, this is not the case. They have all kinds of 
  firepower, and consider the Highway Patrol to be there to help Atlanta and not 
  them. Keeping the Highway Patrol manned is a constant problem because they 
  are constantly being killed by the locals. A new program is employing Militech full 
  conversion cyborg Patrol Officers. So far, these officers are Gemini conversions, 
  so its impossible for a local bandit to tell whether he’s bitten off more than he can 
  chew until its too late. 
  Bikes
  Bikes
  Bikes
  Bikes    
  Bikes and traffic laws
  Bikes and traffic laws
  Bikes and traffic laws
  Bikes and traffic laws    
  Bicycles are not subject to most of the same traffic rules as cars. They don’t have 
  to come to a complete stop at a red light when making a right-hand turn. Also, at 
  T intersections where there is a bike lane, if the bike is on the top part of the T, it 
  doesn’t have to stop at a red light. Bikes cross streets like pedestrians do — no 
  waiting on red lights if there is no cross traffic. If you screw it up, you’re road 
  pizza. 
  Pedicabs
  Pedicabs
  Pedicabs
  Pedicabs    
  Pedicabs are moped cabs, or rarely, bicycle cabs. They are considerably 
  cheaper than regular cabs, but pricier than public transportation. Pedicabs can 
  seat one driver and either two passengers, or one passenger with stuff, like 
  groceries. Pedicabs have three seats. A folding cargo basket can be folded down 
  over the rear seat. Pedicabs are constructed from advanced polymers and 
  composite materials; these are extremely light, durable, and strong (SDP 8).The 
  motors are high-output electric motors, powered by super-capacitance batteries. 
  Each moped pedicab has four batteries; each battery is good for about 2 hours of 
  heavy (2 passenger) use. The batteries will last longer when pushing lighter 
  loads. The bikes are equipped with pedals as a back up. The motor and battery 
  pack sit over and around the rear wheel. Pedicabs can reach 40 mph, but in the 
  
  confines of the city they rarely exceed 20 mph. As bike lanes do not have the 
  same number of stoplights (see: above), this is not as bad as it sounds, and 
  certainly no slower than city driving for cars. 
  The “fare box,” a shockproof casing, sits on the steering bar. It contains the 
  output controls, a two-way radio for talking to dispatch, a small screen for 
  displaying electronic maps and special instructions and traffic reports, and the 
  fare meter. Also on the steering bar are the brakes, rear view mirrors, a 
  headlamp, and usually a walkman radio/ chip player with a set of tiny speakers. 
  One or more theft alarms are hidden in and on various parts of the bike, and the 
  motors and pedals are locked by both mechanical key and an electronic code 
  that must be input into the fare box. 
  The pedals have a gearing that looks like a 10 speed bike gearing, but the chain 
  feeds into the motor casing, not to the rear wheel. The motor has a mechanical 
  neutral setting, which can be actuated from the steering bar, on a finger control 
  near the right hand brake. Pedaling will recharge a battery, although too slowly to 
  really make a difference. Usually the pedals are locked with them both forward to 
  serve as a foot rest for the pedicabbie. 
  Sitting inside the bike frame near the front is a bike repair kit with two spare tires, 
  an air pump, a can of sealant for simple punctures, a wrench, and one set of 
  variable locking pliers. Also inside the frame are two bike locks: the bar kind and 
  a heavy duty chain. 
  Pedicabs have double-width heavy duty tires (SDP 4). Traction is excellent, as 
  are the brakes. No pedicabby will ride on bad brakes. 
  Pedicabbies always wear a bicycle helmet, and a small backpack for their wallet, 
  rain gear, medkit, walkman when they leave the bike, spare can of mace, and 
  other personal stuff. They sometimes wear some kind of light kevlar torso armor. 
  They are always armed to defend themselves. The most popular way is a special 
  glove; a small can of mace sits across the back of the hand. Press your thumb to 
  your pinkie, depressing the button, and a simple fluid compression action 
  squeezes the button on the can of mace. Pedicabbies have a reputation for 
  
  taking no trash, and for macing troublemakers with little provocation. This at least 
  gives them the few seconds necessary to draw some other implement for 
  inducing pain; shivs, extending batons, and maglights are popular. 
  Bike couriers and delivery people
  Bike couriers and delivery people
  Bike couriers and delivery people
  Bike couriers and delivery people    
  Bike couriers first appeared in Atlanta during the 1996 Collapse. Package 
  services started using them because nothing else could get through the traffic 
  from all the immigrants come looking for work. As traffic in Atlanta continued to 
  worsen during the 21st century, some bright wag started the first of the bike 
  courier companies. Whereas pedicabbies pretty much stick to downtown and the 
  bike lanes, bike couriers go everywhere, and that includes plenty of places that 
  have no bike lanes. If pedicabbies have a reputation for being tough (see: 
  Pedicabs), then bike couriers have the reputation for aggressiveness and take-
  no-shit. When you’re riding a non-motorized bike in traffic, you have to have that 
  kind of reputation and the attitude to back it up.Bike couriers are always armed 
  with the same special gloves as pedicabbies, but they usually pack more potent 
  sprays than basic mace. Although puke sprays are technically gray market — 
  that is, you can’t buy them, but you can use them — most bike couriers would 
  rather be alive and worry about the legalities later. This is also why they always 
  wear light armor weave torso armor (SP12), a bike helmet (ditto), and carry a 
  sidearm in a shoulder holster (can’t wear it on the leg!). The sidearm has a 
  second holster on the steering bar. The most popular pistol now is the Glock 
  Thirty Machine Pistol, a semi-auto with burst capability, loaded with dual purpose 
  rounds. P +2 P (J with the 30 round mag) 2d6+3 (10mm) 20 (30) 1/3 VR 50m. 
  Standard gear for a bike courier includes a two-way radio in the helmet, so that it 
  goes with them when they make a delivery. The radio includes an external pick-
  up mike so that if a courier is in trouble, the home office will know. A locked 
  backpack (SP14) carries the package in one pocket, and personal stuff in the 
  other, as well as a medkit. Bike couriers are always becoming scratched up, 
  bruised, and cut. Medkits are frequently restocked. Bike pants and sneakers are 
  
  standard. The helmet has pull down shades, which has a heads up display with 
  map information, traffic reports, and special instructions. The shades go into a 
  slot inside the helmet. Trauma team coverage is standard for bike couriers. 
  Riding in traffic is risky, and also, because they are pedaling hard all day long, 
  they can’t wear any but the most minimal armor. 
  The standard bike has double-width, high-traction, high durability tires (SDP 4). 
  The frame is constructed from advanced polymers and composite materials, 
  making the bike extremely light (the frame is only 2lbs), durable, and strong (SDP 
  8). Bike couriers will sometimes carry their bike with them into a building when 
  making a delivery. Inside the frame is a repair kit with two spare tires, wrenches, 
  and an air pump. There are also two bike locks: the bar kind and a heavy duty 
  chain. There is an alarm, of course, which sends a signal to the bike helmet. 
  Finally, there is a water bottle. 
  Besides the pistol holster, the steering bar holds two more water bottles and rear-
  view mirrors. 
  Obviously bike couriers are in fantastic physical shape, and have incredible 
  calves. 
  Common cyberware is a pair of cybereyes with lowlight & anti-glare on both, and 
  sometimes adding teleoptics and image enhancement (for picking spots through 
  traffic). Cyberaudio with Level Damper, Enhanced Hearing, and Sound Editors is 
  another good option. And many couriers have a Mediaware Cellular Phone 
  (Chromebook 3) so they can talk while riding. 
  Public Transportation
  Public Transportation
  Public Transportation
  Public Transportation    
  MARTA
  MARTA
  MARTA
  MARTA    
  MARTA (Metro Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority) runs networks of buses and 
  trains through downtown Atlanta, and to certain areas outside of the perimeter. 
  Certain MARTA lines link up with lines outside of the city, such as CCT (Cobb 
  
  County Transportation), or Gwinnett Transit.Many, many buses now travel all 
  through the morass of roads within the perimeter. 
  The original MARTA train lines ran north-south and east-west only. Now there 
  are numerous branching lines. Looking at a MARTA train map is very much like 
  looking at a London tube map; the style is almost identical. MARTA trains 
  terminate south of the city at Hartsfield International Airport. 
  Atlanta was unique in that they intentionally built certain facilities, such as the 
  1993 stadium, to prevent the use of cars to reach the facility. The idea was to 
  encourage people to use MARTA to reach the facility. Also unique was that 
  certain train stations were built specifically to reach major shopping malls. In 
  these ways MARTA picked up a lot of revenue that they otherwise would not 
  have. 
  MARTA stations employ armed security, who are publicly and loudly encouraged 
  to use non-lethal force to put down disturbances. The security people are also 
  armed with rifles that spit big, soft rubber chunks to stun perpetrators with. The 
  chunks bounce, can knock somebody over, or bruise somebody badly, but are 
  very unlikely to kill anyone, even a child. Chunk gun: RIF 0 (+1 with standard 
  laser sight) N P 3d6 stun & knockdown 6 1 ST 50m 400E$. Treat like a bean 
  bag/gel round from a shotgun. At least half damage goes through soft armor (not 
  hard armor) but only as concussion damage, i.e. only for purposes of making a 
  stun save. Roll Ref v 10 to avoid being knocked over regardless of damage. 
  Multiple shots will stack the concussion damage total for purposes of making a 
  save, so it is a frequent tactic to have as many security people shooting at a 
  single perp as possible. The magazines are quite large as the chunks are about 
  1″ diameter spheres. Only 1 extra magazine is carried, attached to the side of the 
  rifle. The full auto version of the Chunk Gun is called the Mega-Chunker. It is the 
  size of a heavy machinegun and can only be fired while tripod mounted unless 
  the firer has a Body Type of 15+. It uses ammo drums about the size of an oil 
  drum, which have to be scooted into place, taking 3 combat rounds (10 if not 
  skilled). HVY +1 (+2 with standard laser sight) N P 3d6 stun & knockdown 100 10 
  
  50m 2000E$. Mega-Chunkers are often mounted on security carts; the tripods 
  have wheels that can be locked down so it can be rolled. Pulling the trigger 
  automatically yanks the wheels up; this counts as a snapshot (-3 to hit). 
  They can also carry full-auto sleep drug needlers. Constitution Arms Deluge 
  Crowd Control Weapon: HVY 9 N P 1-2pts+drug 400 35 ST 60m 800E$ + 135E$ 
  per magazine. MARTA prefers not to use these, as they are likely to hit 
  passengers (as opposed to “security risks”). These are dandy against a small 
  number of gangers, but create a liability risk (see below). 
  Security can also dump knockout gas into a train car, putting everybody to sleep. 
  They hate to do this because of liability; MARTA tends to get sued over lost 
  wages, causing medical risk, etc. when they gas people and therefore make 
  them late for work. Also, perps nowadays know that this can be done, and 
  threaten to shoot people if they see gas or think gas is being used. Security wear 
  armored jumpsuits (SP 16, EV 0), gloves, and helmets (SP 25, includes a clear 
  armored face plate) in a friendly, bright red. You may say, doesn’t this make 
  them easy targets? Yes it does. That is the idea. MARTA wants perps to be 
  targeting its security people, not its passengers. This has the added effect that 
  people give MARTA security officers a wide berth — in case of stray shots, 
  nobody wants to get hit. 
  CCT: Cobb County Transportation.
  CCT: Cobb County Transportation.
  CCT: Cobb County Transportation.
  CCT: Cobb County Transportation.    
  East Cobb County, the affluent and conservative part of the county, refused to 
  have MARTA when MARTA first started; the residents didn’t want “undesirables” 
  bussing in to their affluent area to burgle them. 10 years later, at the end of the 
  1980’s, when the need for public transportation into the city grew too large to 
  ignore, Cobb County created it’s own bus system — which links directly to 
  MARTA. When the Cobb County Conservative District walled itself off from the 
  rest of the county, they instituted searches on any public transportation coming 
  into the District. “Public Safety Officers,” who are not police, but who are 
  frequently members of the The Family Values Coalition gang (see Gangs), 
  
  perform these searches. Anyone not appearing to belong and who can’t present 
  a Conservative District ID are expelled at the border. 
  Gwinnett Transit
  Gwinnett Transit
  Gwinnett Transit
  Gwinnett Transit    
  There are two private bus lines in Gwinnett, Arlo Transit and Guthrie Speed-o 
  Line. A divorced couple each owns one line, and they compete fiercely. Buses 
  are often late due to sabotage. 
  Law & Order
  Law & Order
  Law & Order
  Law & Order    
  The police have all the typical divisions: detectives, patrol, traffic, netpatrol, 
  special investigations, & C-SWAT. 
  Patrol Police
  Patrol Police
  Patrol Police
  Patrol Police    
  Cops in Atlanta typically patrol by car; the city is too spread out to patrol on foot. 
  Cops responding to a call have priority on the use of the HOV lanes. As each 
  highway usually has two of these per level, other drivers in the HOV lanes can 
  swing out of their way and the cops can really move. Response time is good for 
  such a large city with heavy traffic. Fast response air patrols are run by Atlanta’s 
  C-Swat, CUE. Corporate taxes provide for all kinds of excellent equipment for the 
  city police. 
  Patrol Police ride in BMW 2020’s (Maximum Metal, p.33) Top speed: 100mph, 
  crew 2, passengers: 4, maneuver: -1, SP 20 (Armor 1), mass: 3 tons, a cc/dec: 
  15/40mph, range: 300 miles, cargo 2 spaces, 1000kg, SDP 75 (Body 4), type: 
  car, cost: 90,000 E$. Either 2 or 4 cops will ride on patrol, depending on how 
  dangerous the area they’re patrolling is. If 4, 2 load in the back, and they can 
  open the rear door with either a helmet radio command or a special key if the 
  electronics are down (the lock is difficulty 30 to pick). There are crash control 
  systems for everybody, and 4 sets of heavy restraints in back, including ion cuffs 
  for all 4 limbs. This allows booster gangers to be secured. The unit includes light 
  
  amp, radar, military radio, infra red, a fire extinguisher, civilian climate control, an 
  armored searchlight, a loudspeaker, and is off-road capable (half speed). 
  For hazardous area patrols, a 5.56mm minigun is mounted. This has a dual feed 
  magazine; half are rubber/gel rounds, and half are live ammo. HVY 0 N P 5d6 
  500*2 100 ST 450m. The police force has a few 75mm recoilless rifles they can 
  mount in place of the minigun for dealing with heavy armor. These massive bang 
  bangs are: HVY 0 N R 8d10 AP (75mm HEAT, Penetration 8) 1 1 VR. At 15,000 
  E$, they don’t have many. When they mount these, they store 6 extra shells into 
  the rear (they’re big) and load them manually. 
  Patrol police usually wear special issue Metal Gear (SP 25, EV -2, 800 E$) with a 
  Comfort Layer (TM) coverall underneath. The metal gear has vents for cooling; 
  the vents can be snapped shut with a single button press in case of gas. The 
  helmet includes a 10 minute air supply, as well as anti-dazzle, low light vision, 
  high power spotlight (the low light vision cuts off automatically when this the 
  spotlight is switched on, and it can be switched into 1/10 candlepower mode for 
  use with low light vision), two-way multi-channel radio (650 E$). 
  The coverall is one piece with memory seals at the fly and behind for necessities. 
  It is made of a clingy material that has padding in important places so that the 
  armor sits better on its wearer, keeping the armor from chafing and to make the 
  officer comfortable sitting down. It also provides temperature control with a dense 
  network of tiny tubes (thread sized) that hold non-toxic liquids that are either 
  cooled or heated by tiny units under the padding. The material does not provide 
  any armor value, but if punctured doesn’t lose much liquid and thus is still 
  effective at temperature control. IEC makes and repairs these on special 
  computer controlled sewing units; the cost of one new is 1000 E$. They can be 
  overnited for repair at 30 E$. 
  The standard weapon for the cops is a Militech Ronin Light Assault rifle. They are 
  easy to acquire, cheap (450 E$), reliable, many techs were already familiar with 
  their repair and maintenance, and the ammo is also cheap and common. It can 
  be easily fitted with gun cameras, scopes, and underbarrel grenade launchers or 
  
  microwavers. Typical ammo used is AP or low velocity rubber gel rounds 
  (damage is stun only). Cops carry 4 extra clips, for a total of 3 AP and 2 stun, 
  plus double of each per cop in the car. RIF +1 N C 5d6 (5.56mm) 35 3/30 VR 
  400m. The Ronin gives the police far more firepower than the average citizen, 
  and allows them to tackle just about any sort of criminal, even those with big 
  guns. 
  The usual underbarrel mount is to attach an Arasaka Restraint Caster pistol, and 
  when they have to shoot, they use that instead. The Restraint pistol can also be 
  detached and used as a pistol. 4 reloads are usually carried. P -1 J P Tangle 
  (15mm) 4 1 ST 25m. This fires a mass of polymer threads that hold the target in 
  place for 20 minutes (+ or - 10 minutes) unless they beat a 25 Body Type roll. 
  Another popular sidearm is the Constitution Arms Multi-Ammunition Pistol (See 
  Protect & Serve or Blackhand’s Street Weapons 2020) due to its variety of 
  rounds: sleep capsule or dart, taser, acid, explosive, or even bullets. P 0 J P 
  4d6+1 (12mm or special round) 5 1 VR 50m. When cops have to get physical, 
  they use the Excalibur Nightstick with taser tip. MEL 0 J P 2d6+3 (+taser) VR 
  (taser is ST). 
  Cops also carry the ever popular mace, striptape binders, one set of ion cuffs 
  (disrupt arm cyberware so it can’t be used while the cuffs are on, but unlike the 
  Protect & Serve version, the Atlanta kind has keys), 2 sets handcuffs, pocket 
  computer with fscanners and cellular link (see below), drink bottle, spray bottle 
  with solvent for restraint pistol, utility webbing. The utility webbing lets a cop carry 
  gear all over, and it also has a couple extra gear clips; most cops stick another 
  drink bottle or soda can holder there. 
  The cop pocket computer is crammed with compumods and a multi-use scanner 
  for reading retina patterns, fingerprints, cyberware (thermograph), and micro-
  video with audio (like the cyberoptic, used to record things). It also has a card 
  slot for reading ID; a dedicated memory section for the latest updates on 
  criminals, alerts, etc.; and a cellular link to talk to the computers at headquarters. 
  It can also be tied in to the suit radio. It has an SP15 shell. 
  
  To use the pocket computer, a cop pulls it off his webbing, runs it over the target 
  (eyes, hands, whatever) or slides an ID through the card slot. Max range is about 
  2 feet. 
  Skills: Tactics, Rifle, Pistol, Melee, Athletics, Streetwise, Human perception, 
  Endurance. Tactics training includes mob and riot management, and handling 
  hostage situations. Authority averages 4. 
  Cops can have any kind of cyberware, with optics being the most common, 
  followed closely by neuralware with smartgun and vehicle links, and Reflex 
  boosts. The department will pay for it and therapy if approved. Because of the 
  Eurocorp influence, therapy for cybernetics is viewed as necessary. 
  Riot Police
  Riot Police
  Riot Police
  Riot Police    
  When riots occur, which is often, or when an area needs to be secured, the riot 
  police are brought in, riding in Arasaka Riot 8’s with a built in Arasaka Nauseator 
  in the front. Riot police also frequently serve as on-site guards at police or 
  government facilities.Riot police wear military grade hardshell and carry 
  autoshotguns. This is SP28, comes with a 1 hour air supply and extra cooling 
  unit built into the armor, otherwise as above. The helmet also includes a 
  thermograph for walking through smoke and a noise reduction option intended to 
  counter the nauseator. 
  A riot shield is slung on the back for another SP15 & EV -1. When they wade into 
  a crowd, they unsling the shield and their taser nightsticks. The shield is also 
  equipped with a taser and a wide angle mace sprayer (2 shots, area affect 1m 
  wide). 
  Usually they do not wade into a crowd, instead firing on it from a distance (often 
  extreme range, which doesn’t matter with area affect rounds) with various non-
  lethal rounds with their Military M-12 Close Assault Weapons, or CAWS. These 
  are produced by Militech, and have a selectable rotary magazine (choose your 
  ammo and drop ROF to 1). These “Dial-A-Guns” have a wide selection of ammo. 
  SHT 0 N P Varies (12Ga Mag) 20 1/3/10 VR 50m. 
  
  The usual magazine loaded is a magazine type 1, crowd dispersal; it contains 8 
  flash bang, 8 tear gas, and 4 gel rounds. Magazine type 2, the meat grinder, is 
  for when lethal force has been authorized, which is not often; all buckshot. 
  Magazine type 3, the borg smacker, is for use against heavily armored targets or 
  durable objects; all solid slug. 
  Riot “dally gunners” are expected to fire on rapid semi-auto (picking targets) or 
  full auto (”mowing the grass”). Riot police carry 2 extra of the large mags 
  attached to the front of their legs and 2 on the sides. Otherwise their gear is the 
  same as patrol cops. 
  Between the nauseators, flash/bangs, tear gas, gel rounds, water cannon, and 
  tactics, most crowds are broken up fairly quickly. 
  Riot division has 8 AV-6 Combat Aerodynes for rapid deployment. Riot cops can 
  rappel down or jump out from a dustoff. 
  There is also at least one powered armor platoon with 20 (+4 more in for repair at 
  any time per squad) Arasaka Type 17 Guardian ACPA (see Chromebook 3 for 
  stats) on duty at any time. This squad is brought out against booster gang riots, 
  and as a preventative measure against booster gang attacks. The armor is weak 
  for ACPA, but the weapons are usually sufficient against gangers. Stun rounds 
  can be loaded instead of live ammo; this only happens on the rare occasions 
  when a truly huge demonstration goes through town. 
  Common cyberware for riot cops include all of what is usual for patrol cops, and 
  Muscle & Bone Lace (particularly the improved version) is almost ubiquitous. 
  Although many riot cops are into bodybuilding, Grafted Muscle is rarely 
  approved. Recovery from the surgery puts the cop out of action for a while, and 
  then they may need special armor to fit over the added bulk. 
  Skills: Emphasis on securing the area. Tactics, Intimidation, Melee, Rifle, 
  Awareness, Endurance. Authority averages 5. 
  Detectives
  Detectives
  Detectives
  Detectives    
  
  Because detectives have to deal with people to investigate crimes, they use 
  more subtlety than standard cops. Instead of hardshell, they wear SP14 suits, 
  and their traditional detective bowler hats (SP12). They wear the comfort layer 
  thin coverall underneath, so they wear the suits in the summer. Ties are de 
  rigeur, but for safety are always modified with a breakaway clip; this leaves those 
  jokers who try to grab them by the tie holding said tie and a sheepish 
  expression.Detectives also go under cover, sometimes into deep cover. When 
  undercover, they wear and use whatever is appropriate. 
  Detective teams usually specialize in a given type of crime: homicide, serial 
  killings, vice, embezzlement, etc. Teams dedicated to tracking down serial killers 
  usually have cops with psychology backgrounds. 
  Skills: Emphasizing finding and searching through information. Detectives could 
  be considered dual role cops/private detectives, and thus be able to use the 
  Research special ability. Expert: Forensic investigation (this is not forensic 
  medicine, instead, it is knowing how to examine a crime scene for clues), 
  General Knowledge, Human perception, Streetwise, Interview, Interrogation, 
  Shadow/track, and Library Search. Undercover cops will have Perform (for 
  acting), high Streetwise, and tend to have high Int. Authority averages 7. 
  Cyberware: Cyberware aims for subtlety. Cyberoptics, particularly Image 
  Enhancement, Times Square Plus, MicroVideo, Digital Cameras, and 
  Thermographs are common. Digital recorders are very useful for extending the 
  recording time of cyber options. The Cyberaudio Voice Stress Analyzer is 
  popular. Any cyber acquired as a Detective is installed hardened. 
  Equipment: Detectives carry a lighter load than patrol cops: mace, one set of ion 
  cuffs (disrupt arm cyberware so it can’t be used while the cuffs are on, but unlike 
  the Protect & Serve version, the Atlanta kind has keys), 1 set regular handcuffs, 
  pocket computer with scanners and cellular link. Detectives usually have extra 
  mods on their computers, like voice stress analyzers. 
  Weapons: Sternmeyer P-35: P 0 J C 3d6 (11mm) 8 2 VR 50m. Typically loaded 
  with dual purpose ammo, and they aim for unarmored portions if they can. 
  
  Sometimes an Uzi Miniauto 9 is carried. It is very small, and easily concealed 
  under the suit’s jacket. SMG +1 J E 2d6+1 30 35 VR 150m, always loaded with 
  dual purpose ammo to give them a fighting chance against armor. A clip of stun 
  rounds is also carried for either weapon. A riot shotgun is kept in the front and a 
  couple of Arasaka Restraint Caster pistols are kept on the dashboard (along with 
  a couple of spray bottles of solvent for the restraint pistols). 
  Detectives frequently carry a backup pistol. The most common choices are the 
  IMI Gamad: P +1 (laser sight) P E 2d6+3 (10mm) 7 2 VR 50m; or the 454 
  Magnum Disposable: P -2 P R 4d6+3 2 1 VR 40m. 
  Traffic c
  Traffic c
  Traffic c
  Traffic cops
  ops
  ops
  ops    
  Although traffic cops still pull over speeders, drunk drivers, hazardous drivers, 
  and just in general keep the flow of traffic as smooth as possible, they are also 
  the fast response and chase arm of the police, and are responsible for stopping 
  smugglers. Their primary mission is to keep the roads safe, and if a criminal is on 
  the road, it isn’t safe. To this end, traffic cops are equipped with cyberbikes and 
  specialized weaponry to stop a perp’s vehicle. They have to do this with 
  minimum risk to other drivers, so just blasting away with HE is not 
  acceptable.Traffic cops wear lighter armor than the hardshell that patrol cops do. 
  Fast reaction time is more critical than all the armor in the world for what traffic 
  cops handle. Traffic cops wear the standard comfort layer coveralls, but instead 
  of hardshell, they wear SP 18, EV 0 soft armor that resembles black leathers. 
  Their hardshell helmets (SP25) are stuffed with features, including a 10 minute 
  air supply, anti-dazzle, low light vision, high power spotlight (the low light vision 
  cuts off automatically when this the spotlight is switched on, and it can be 
  switched into 1/10 candlepower mode for use with low light vision), teleoptics, 
  image enhancement, thermograph, and two-way multi-channel radio (1,100 E$). 
  The optics are used to spot and track perps. They are placed in the helmet in 
  case the officer has to leave the vehicle. Targeting is tied in to the vehicle 
  weapons. 
  
  The standard vehicle is the Kundalini Torpedo Police Interceptor Cycle 
  (Chromebook 3). 
  Top Speed: 144 mph, crew: 1, passengers: none, maneuverability: +1/+3, SP: 15 
  (armor 1), Mass: 120kg, acc/dec: 18/30 mph, range: 270 miles, SDP: 30 (Body 
  1), type: motorcycle, cost 36,000 E$ (50,400 E$ smarted, but the police buy 
  these at a volume discount). Standard armament is one Militech Urban Missile 
  Launcher on the left side, and one Constitution Arms Cyclone Squad Support 
  Weapon on the right hand side. 
  Militech Urban Missile Launcher HVY +2 L P 4d6 (missile) 12 2 ST 200m 
  Missiles, although extremely expensive, are the most effective means to stop a 
  perp’s vehicle. A missile can be targeted at a vehicle’s hood (engine) or axles 
  without having direct line of sight. 
  A triple feed magazine is employed, each holding 8 rounds. The first magazine 
  holds special ECM rounds. These have an effect equal to the ECM hand 
  grenade, but within a 2 meter radius only (to avoid affecting other vehicles). This 
  disrupts a cars electronics for 4 minutes, effectively killing the engine and all 
  systems, especially cybercontrol, forcing the driver to pull over. The second 
  magazine holds a material like that used in the Arasaka Restraint Caster, only 
  heavier. Reactive polymer threads wrap around an axle with a gluey mass, then 
  harden, stopping the axle or at least slowing it down significantly. The third 
  magazine holds HEP, for punching through armor without inflicting frag damage 
  on nearby innocent drivers. 
  Constitution Arms Cyclone Squad Support Weapon HVY +1 N P 6d6+2 100 35 
  VR 500m. Loaded with AP ammo. This is used to take down heavy vehicles or 
  perps, or for the intimidation value. 
  The other common patrol vehicle is the Bell F-152 Autogyro. Top speed: 195 
  mph, crew: 1, passengers: none, Maneuver +1, SP: 0, Mass: 1,500kg, acc/dec: 
  15/15 mph, range 67 miles, cargo: none, SDP: 40 (Body 2), type: light helicopter, 
  cost: 145,000 E$ less bulk discount. This version trades 0.4 (10%) of a space for 
  a 33% increase in range. This means it can only mount a 1/2 space weapon, so 
  
  the Militech Urban Missile Launcher is used, stats and magazine setup as above. 
  It’s range is shorter than would be preferred, so most pilots hang way back at 
  extreme range to avoid incoming fire. 
  The autogyro is equipped with both a crash control system and a safety chute 
  system; if the copter is so damaged it is going to crash, the pilot or damage 
  control systems (including an altitude sensor) can trigger these. The rotors 
  should autorotate, providing some lift, but a heavy chute is fired by mini rocket 
  from a packet above the rotor. Note: This is a real system in use in 1996. The 
  crash control system is a series of strategically placed airbags to cushion the 
  pilot. 
  Autogyros are fast, but have limited range, so there are refueling landing pads all 
  over the city. Autogyro pilots typically operate in tandem with motorcycle cops. 
  Unlike the AD Police in the Bubble Gum Crisis anime, they do not ram 
  themselves into support pylons with amazing frequency. 
  For roadblocks and other times when smugglers need to be stopped, the Anti-
  smuggling arm of Traffic division uses an enhanced wheeled version of the 
  Mitsubishi Musashi SWAT Mini-Tank (see Solo of Fortune 2); these have extra 
  powerful engines. They sacrifice 2 spaces of cargo/ 2 passenger spaces for 
  improved speed; the new top speed is 180mph. Acceleration, braking, and 
  handling are all boosted. Top speed: 180mph, crew: 2, passengers: up to 3 or 
  cargo, Maneuver +3, SP: 100 (Armor 5), Mass: 8 tons, acc/dec: 26/100 mph, 
  range: 200 miles, cargo: up to 3 spaces at about 4500kg, SDP: 200 (Body 10), 
  type: IFV, cost: about 2 million E$! But you can’t beat their effectiveness. Plus, 
  throw three riot or CUE police in the back and you have a party! Traffic division 
  has at least 15 of these. 
  Skills: Motorcycle, Driving, Heavy Weapons, Pilot Gyro, Operate Heavy 
  Machinery, Intimidate (for when they leave their vehicles). Authority averages 3. 
  Traffic cops might be dual role Cop/Vehicle Runners, or Cop/Specialized solo as 
  described in Home of the Brave. 
  Cyberware: Reflex boosts are common, and a vehicle link is a must. 
  
  Weapons & equipment: Same as patrol cops. If a traffic cop pulls someone over, 
  they pops the hatch on the Torpedo, which opens forward, providing him with 
  cover. Then they lean forward, clip on the gear belt, sling the rifle and stand up. 
  They are trained not to leave their vehicle until they are geared up. 
  Cyborg Enforcement Unit (CUE, informally, the CUE ball unit)
  Cyborg Enforcement Unit (CUE, informally, the CUE ball unit)
  Cyborg Enforcement Unit (CUE, informally, the CUE ball unit)
  Cyborg Enforcement Unit (CUE, informally, the CUE ball unit)    
  CUE is the heavy enforcement arm of the police. The CUE unit has heavy gear, 
  heavy weapons, heavy vehicles, heavy cybernetics, heavy funding, heavy pull, 
  and heavy attitudes. They also have an all cyborg unit. When the regular police 
  can’t handle something, they bring in the CUE unit — “To put the bad guys 
  behind the cue ball!”CUE officers are usually dual role cop/solos. Authority 
  averages 8 (these guys have obvious pull!). ACPA pilots are usually dual role 
  cops/troopers. 
  CUE has a special Cyborg only division: the Robocoppers. Robocoppers 
  consists of no more than two dozen full conversion cyborg cops; all have had 
  extensive therapy and all have hardened shielding. There are several types of 
  cyborgs employed (all from Chromebook 2). Enforcers are used for anything that 
  an enhanced cop could do; Enforcers have Body Type boosted to 15 so they can 
  handle really big guns. Wingman conversions are used to fly the copters or AV’s. 
  Eclipse conversions are used in anti-terrorist actions. There are no Dragoons and 
  Spiders; the humanity loss is too catastrophic. 
  Vehicles: Arasaka Combat 10’s, 2 Bell Evil-Eye 19 light attack copters, 8 AV-6 
  Combat Aerodynes, 20 AV-3 Aerocops, 2 AV-9 Multi-Purpose Aerodynes (used 
  to carry weapons or lift things, etc.), 4 Arasaka Daikani Cyberwalks (Solo of 
  Fortune 2), 2 Bell UH-10 PAPC (a helicopter that serves as an ACPA carrier; in 
  Chromebook 3), 5 heavy armored trucks as ACPA transport, several Brennan 
  Ares Combat Bikes (also in Chromebook 3), several dozen support vehicles 
  including prisoner transport vehicles, and a lot of really big, bad motorcycles. The 
  other vehicles listed above appear in Maximum Metal. 
  
  ACPA: 20 Dynalar/Zetatech Grasshoppers (these have been used for a long time 
  and have no original parts left) with thrusters added for flight. 60 seconds of fuel 
  add 24kg of extra weight. There a couple of Flyer units for true flight; these are 
  not often pulled out. 30 Arasaka Standard B’s. 
  Cybernetics: As is typical for Cyborg Swat, cybernetics are used heavily. Therapy 
  is mandatory. When you have new cyber installed the cyberpsychologist is there 
  with you before the operation and after (treat as Inpatient therapy minimum). All 
  cyberware is hardened. Upon upping to CUE, any non-hardened cybernetics are 
  replaced. When this happens, any “unofficial” cyberware tends to go. 
  Equipment: Everything Patrol cops carry and more. CUE cops can requisition 
  almost anything depending on the job. 
  Weapons: Almost anything, as long as it packs a serious punch. The usual 
  sidearm is the Royal Enfield Ordnance Spitfire 12mm Battle Pistol, SAS version, 
  smarted. P +1 (+3 smarted) J R 4d6+1 12 2 VR 50m 700E$. Commonly carried 
  CUE weapons: Militech Mini-Grenade Launcher HVY 0 N P varies (25mm/10ga) 
  16 2 ST 150m loaded with HEP at 5d6 (damage is 1/2 real & 1/2 stun, armor has 
  no effect). Militech Urban Missile Launcher HVY +2 L P 4d6 (missile) 12 2 ST 
  200m loaded with anything, usually HEP. Militech Ronin Light Assault rifle with 
  AP ammo. You get the idea. 
  Wildcard teams
  Wildcard teams
  Wildcard teams
  Wildcard teams    
  Sometimes a group of detectives aren’t quite the right mix to investigate a case. 
  Sometimes it requires other modes of thinking, observing, and doing. Sometimes 
  the Police Chief will just want to have a group around that comes at crime from a 
  totally different angle than cops normally do.For situations like these, Wildcard 
  teams, sometimes known as Special Investigations, are formed. These teams 
  almost always contain a detective and someone from CUE, frequently someone 
  from Net Division, someone with a particularly good ear for street, and anyone 
  else who would form a certain chemistry. The idea of a Wildcard team is to make 
  
  a certain chemistry; the particular synergy of different kinds of cops and different 
  kinds of people can make a very effective team. 
  Wildcard team members have skills and equipment appropriate to their original 
  assignments, and usually skills and equipment that are off the beaten path. 
  Divergent thinking in an individual tends to encourage the same thing within the 
  chemistry of the team. 
  Assignment to a Wildcard team usually carries with it an increase in Authority. If 
  so, and how much, is up to the GM. 
  Other divisions
  Other divisions
  Other divisions
  Other divisions    
  Net division
  Net division
  Net division
  Net division    
  Has good netrunners and excellent access to software. They protect police 
  systems and investigate net crimes. Netwatch frequently muscles in on their 
  investigations. Authority average is 3. 
  Med evac.
  Med evac.
  Med evac.
  Med evac.    
  Equipped with 5 ambulance AV-4’s. Riot police serve in place of solos, and 
  frequently secure areas where a cop was shot by dropping in from their AV-6’s. 
  Average authority is 5; med evac has excellent access to resources. 
  Administrative
  Administrative
  Administrative
  Administrative    
  Lieutenants, Captains, Division Chiefs, the Chief of Police and their support 
  people. Authority average for support staff is 6; for the high ups its 9 minimum. 
  Technical maintenance
  Technical maintenance
  Technical maintenance
  Technical maintenance    
  Or Tech, maintains the vehicles, weapons, and equipment of the police force. 
  Average Authority is 2. 
  Forensics
  Forensics
  Forensics
  Forensics    
  
  Handling ballistics, medical forensics, and psychological assessments. Obviously 
  the province of techs, medtechs, and psychologists. Sometimes dual role 
  characters. 
  IA
  IA
  IA
  IA    
  Internal Affairs keeps the cops clean. Disliked at best and usually hated by other 
  cops. These are the guys who take down other cops when they go bad. Average 
  Authority is 6, enough to make you cooperate. 
  W&I
  W&I
  W&I
  W&I    
  Warehousing & Inventory. W&I handles all of the contraband seized from 
  criminals, including smugglers. They handle a lot of material of all kinds, 
  including weapons seized from boosters, solos, and crime organizations. Riot 
  cops serve as security at the many large warehouses W&I manages. W&I makes 
  a lot of money for the police by reselling contraband. Weaponry is typically 
  cleaned up by Tech and handed over to CUE. Authority average is 4. There are 
  some dual role cop/fixers here. 
  CCCCorporate Security
  orporate Security
  orporate Security
  orporate Security    
  Joining the city cops in policing are the various corporate security groups. These 
  have authority only on company property, and their authority is only as security, 
  not as police. They do not have the power to arrest people, although for 
  corporate security needs they are allowed to restrain, render harmless (i.e., 
  shoot), or detain people. In theory, corporate security have to explain their 
  actions to either the city government or the state government or both. However, 
  the city government is largely dependent on the corporations for its financial 
  survival, and the state government is in the corporations’ pockets, so the need for 
  these explanations is often overlooked by both governments. There is a constant 
  need for Medias who are willing to go to wall to bring incidents of corporate 
  
  abuse to the people.Corporate security equipment varies depending on the 
  corporation. Most wear SP14 coveralls (EV 0), SP20 helmets, and carry medium 
  SMG’s and FN Browning 3-Spot pistols. 
  The Musketeers
  The Musketeers
  The Musketeers
  The Musketeers    
  When the Eurocorps moved in during the Collapse, their security forces quickly 
  earned a bad reputation as being anti-American. This was not their fault as this 
  attitude was a sign of the times; Americans were not happy about the embargo 
  and collapse of their economy, and many blamed the Europeans.To counter this, 
  the Eurocorps created a joint elite security force as a public relations move. This 
  force had to be public-friendly. Dubbed the Musketeers, they were dressed in 
  armor and gear that resembled the legendary heroes, and they were put through 
  their media paces taking out terrorists, patrolling crime ridden neighborhoods, 
  and smashing crime syndicate facilities. Assigned media specialists as part of 
  their units, they were turned into darlings of the public. To complete this view, all 
  Musketeer troops were counseled by psychological experts to feel as if they were 
  doing heroic deeds for the good of the people, and following firmly in the 
  footsteps of their fictional namesakes. 
  As elite corporate security, they were to turn public opinion in favor of the regular 
  European security forces, and then to start taking over functions of the elite city 
  police operations. Then a takeover of more routine police functions was planned 
  for the rest of the Eurocorp security forces. This was part of a long term plan to 
  eventually displace the police and other city services, eventually allowing the 
  Eurocorps to totally take over Atlanta. 
  The Musketeers did indeed bring a favorable image to Eurocorp security. But 
  then a funny thing happened. The people in charge of the Musketeers started 
  refusing orders to take over security functions currently held by the city police. 
  They would assist, but they would not push in on the city police. Their 
  relationship with the city police was flawless. The media hounds continued to be 
  led down the daisy path, but now they were seeing a privately run security force 
  
  working hand in hand to assist the city police, riding in to save the day when 
  needed, whether for the city or for the corporations. But the Musketeers would 
  not perform “questionable” ops. Their leaders refused grey ops, laughed at black 
  ops orders, arrested anyone who tried to bribe them, and in general only worked 
  for the betterment of the populace. The Musketeers were indeed heroes to the 
  public, and would not be otherwise. Perhaps the psychological counseling had 
  worked too well, or perhaps they were filling society’s desperate need for heroes 
  during the collapse. 
  As an elite force, the Musketeers are dual role characters: Cop/Solos, 
  Cop/Netrunners, Cop/Techs, Cop/Medtechs or Psychologists, and Medias. 
  On three occasions, other people wore Musketeer uniforms in the commission of 
  acts that the Musketeers did not approve of (once was a crime, the other two 
  times were raids against American corporations). The bodies of the individuals 
  who did these acts, and their bosses, were left in front of their respective 
  operations centers’ buildings. 
  Skills: They are elite. A mixed smattering of pickup skills in the +2 range. Combat 
  or other professional skills in +6 and higher range, with 1 to 4 skills in the +8 or 
  higher range. They don’t use their rapiers very often, and are only usually +2. 
  Combat sense or other professional skill is +7 minimum, usually +8 or higher. 
  Combat sense, Rifle, Handgun, SMG, Heavy weapons, Intimidation, Tactics, 
  Awareness, Martial Arts, Languages, Stealth, Hide/evade. Stats also tend to 
  range higher than average. Musketeers in armor have a citywide Reputation of 5 
  as heroic heavy-duty police. 
  Standard equipment: Armor: SP16 soft armor, with hardshell torso protection and 
  helmet SP25, EV -1; this is done in the style of the original Musketeers, complete 
  with surcoat and big, feathered hat (SP12). All helmets have enhanced optics, 
  including targeting scope, antidazzle, low light, telescopic, and thermograph. The 
  helmets also have detachable faceplates for their public relations work. For 
  heavier missions they wear military grade hardshell (SP 28, EV -2). 
  
  Weapons: A rapier, of course. This is machined of the finest metals and 
  ceramics. 2d6+2 blade AP. They tend to use their “muskets” instead, though. 
  For “muskets” they carry smarted Barret-Arasaka Light-20’s with at least two 
  extra clips. Hvy 0 N R 4d10 (20/9mm APFSDS) 10 1 VR 450m. Frequently, and 
  always on heavy ops, they mount a 25mm or 40mm grenade launcher under the 
  barrel of the Light-20, and carry anything from tear gas to HEP. 
  When they expect to deal with large numbers of opponents, they carry Heckler & 
  Koch MPK-2020 SMG’s with 5 extra clips. SMG +2 (12mm) 60 30 ST 200m. 
  Sidearm is the Royal Enfield Ordnance Spitfire 12mm Battle Pistol, SAS version, 
  smarted. P +1 (+3 smarted) J R 4d6+1 12 2 VR 50m 700E$. 
  Other equipment: handcuffs, striptape binders, 4 ninja smoke pellets, 1 
  flash/bang hand grenade, and a Black Book police hand computer (interface 
  version) with various additional mods. 
  Cyberware: Almost all musketeers have a neural processor with interface plugs, 
  chipware socket, and Kerenznikov or Sandisvestan boost, Smartgun Link, 
  Dataterm link, Vehicle link, and various chips for languages, needed skills, and 
  unique information for the op (like maps). Almost all also have Nanosurgeons, 
  Enhanced Antibodies, and Toxin Binders. Most have Skinweave SP10 and 
  Improved Muscle and Bone Lace. Musketeers must have at least some 
  (outpatient) therapy, and they can have as much as they want. Their 
  psychologists, like the rest of the musketeers, are incorruptible and totally loyal to 
  the force. 
  Citizen’s Defense Groups & Guardian Gangs
  Citizen’s Defense Groups & Guardian Gangs
  Citizen’s Defense Groups & Guardian Gangs
  Citizen’s Defense Groups & Guardian Gangs    
  Citizens’ defense groups consist of a group of people who live or work in the 
  same neighborhood and have banded together to defend it. A “citizens’ ” defense 
  group as likely as not contains a mixture of citizens and zeroes who live in a part 
  of town that is not well policed, or that a crime organization has a good hold on. 
  The farther out from the city center one goes, the more likely it is that a 
  neighborhood won’t have proper police protection. The defense group members 
  
  watch from their windows, and phone or radio others in the group. They wear 
  light body armor and are armed with pistols, shotguns, and occasionally hunting 
  rifles. They usually call the cops as well, but don’t expect help, or don’t expect it 
  in time. Against criminals, they snipe from their windows and doorways, with an 
  eye towards not hitting people in the neighborhood. They have plans on how to 
  drive criminals into a fire zone, how to talk to them, how to evade them, how to 
  fight them.Because criminal organizations have to use less obvious strong 
  arming for fear of being shot by Joe and Joann Average, they use more subtlety 
  in retaliating against those who resist them. Criminal gang’s netrunners dig up 
  dirt on people, who are then blackmailed. Resisters are poisoned, have 
  “accidents,” find loved ones kidnapped, are hooked on drugs, and more. 
  Although citizen’s defense groups are excellent for suppressing street crime, 
  robbery, burglary, muggings, and assaults, they are pretty much at a loss to fight 
  tactics like these. 
  Guardian Gangs
  Guardian Gangs
  Guardian Gangs
  Guardian Gangs    
  The only other groups that can resist the heavy duty strong arming of the criminal 
  gangs are guardian gangs. Formed by those who have nothing to lose, and 
  frequently leaving their old identities behind, the members of these gangs can be 
  an effective deterrent to crime.A surprisingly common phenomenon are the poser 
  guardian gangs. Those who join leave behind their old identities, instead taking 
  on those of heroic characters who defend the downtrodden. 
  The Zenas
  The Zenas
  The Zenas
  The Zenas    
  One of the most well known poser guardian gangs are commonly called the 
  Zenas, although their members emulate many 1990’s pop culture media 
  characters. Their warriors are so blazingly obvious that most people don’t realize 
  there are other characters. Janeways are the leaders, Keses are medtechs or 
  botanists (running the gang’s hydroponic gardens and other food sources), 
  B’Elanna’s are techs, Ivanovas handle just about anything, Gabrielles are the 
  
  storytellers and recruiters, and of course, Zenas are the warriors.The Zena 
  warriors are very heavily trained in everything from athletics to tactics to 
  swordplay. They are particularly effective because they don’t just whip out a gun 
  and start blazing away, they think tactically. A squad of Zenas are frightening. 
  And no they don’t use guns, and yes, they do use chakrams (bladed throwing 
  rings), and yes, they are deadly with them. A typical Zena warrior has +6 in 
  Combat Sense, Awareness, Athletics, Intimidation, Chakram, & Fencing, and +4 
  or higher in Tactics and Streetwise. Body, Int, & Ref tend to be high, and Ref 
  boosters and Improved Muscle & Bone Lace and Skinweave is common. 
  The Zenas were formed by a young woman who had grown up on reruns of an 
  old flatscreen show about a heroic warrior. When her family was killed in the 
  Collapse, she had nowhere to turn. Seeing the fates that happened to so many 
  young women then (rape, assault, death, no skills for survival or self 
  advancement), she took up the role of her idol and escaped these fates, while 
  recruiting and protecting other young women. The founder is hard to miss; she is 
  6′5″ tall, and has a city wide reputation (7) as a combat goddess. On the rare 
  occasions when she has appeared publicly, even large corporations back down. 
  She has killed slavers, corporates who use child labor, and their cyborg 
  bodyguards. (Assume her stats and skills are mostly 10.) 
  The purpose of the Zenas is to protect young women and girls who are lost on 
  the streets, and for those who want it, a chance to do something positive with 
  their lives. Leaving their own identities behind is not something many want to do, 
  and the gang only accepts into its ranks those who do. They will not refuse help 
  to any young woman or girl though. In cases where a young woman or girl are 
  accompanied by a male, they will help the male if they can, but males are not 
  permitted to join the gang. 
  There is no way to contact the Zenas, even if you are a girl or young woman in 
  need; they will find you. The Zenas have lookouts in the areas that runaways 
  tend to go; street ragamuffins, shopkeepers, and just people who live there. A 
  quick phone call from anyone one of these people, and a Gabrielle is quickly on 
  
  her way, backed up by Keses for medical treatment and Zenas lurking in the 
  shadows to take care of any trouble. 
  The gang is well enough known that any member who reveals herself can be 
  considered to have a Reputation of 4 as a Zena gang member; that is to say, out 
  to help young women exclusively and capable of doing it. 
  Cyber chakram: At an estimated cost of 1500 E$, it features onboard computer 
  chips that control course correction gyroscopically and direct the firing of 
  miniature rockets. In thrown only mode, it is +4, does 1d6+3 blade AP at up to 
  30′ long range (50′ extreme range), but the Zenas are skilled with them and tend 
  to throw at unarmored areas, particularly throats. In rocket mode, it does 2d6+6 
  standard AP at up to 100′ (treated as medium range). It can be ricocheted, each 
  ricochet counting as an additional action, but at only -1 per ricochet in rocket 
  mode. It can be used in rocket mode once before the fuel is gone, but the belt 
  clip automatically refuels it in 15 seconds (so it could be used in rocket mode 
  every third combat round). Treat as ST reliability, and it takes 18 SDP all at once 
  to damage it beyond usability. 
  Although all members wear the traditional outfits of their idols, they usually do so 
  under other clothes to remain inconspicuous (in any season but summer, 
  because its too hot then). 
  The founder of the Zenas intentionally misspelled the name to provide for the use 
  of a recognizable tag; a big X just doesn’t register as a graffiti territorial tag, so 
  she used a big Z instead. The Zenas have protected safe houses all over the 
  city. Their membership is estimated at two to three hundred members. 
  The Zorros
  The Zorros
  The Zorros
  The Zorros    
  Another poser guardian gang that uses the Z tag (obviously) are the Zorros. A 
  group of young men protecting anyone who lives in the Tejano/Mexican cultural 
  areas, the Zorros run around in black outfits and hats and capes, use rapiers, 
  and most maintain an everyday “secret identity” they use to gather information. 
  Sometimes they even go undercover in criminal organizations!Zorros prefer to 
  
  use subterfuge and sabotage to indirectly and directly harm the criminals and 
  corporations who are harming the populace. But if they see a crime being 
  committed, they act like traditional superheroes, dashing into costume and 
  confronting the criminals. Although they prefer to close and use their rapiers in 
  combat, they are not adverse to guns or thrown knives. The Zorros take great 
  pains to prevent innocents from being harmed by the actions of others or 
  themselves. 
  A typical Zorro has his career skills and +4 or higher in Fencing, Tactics, Driving 
  or Motorcycle, Expert: Traffic (for quick getaways), Intimidation, and Streetwise; 
  and usually +3 in a gun skill. 
  Overall the Zorros are well known enough to have a Reputation of 4. Noone is 
  really sure how many of them there are. Once, about 80 were seen at the same 
  time, but it has to be assumed that there are more. 
  Robin Hood’s Band
  Robin Hood’s Band
  Robin Hood’s Band
  Robin Hood’s Band    
  Also variously called the Robin Hoods, Robin Hood’s Merry Men, or the Merry 
  Men by the general populace, and the Robbing Hoods or “Those damn guys in 
  green!” by corrupt corps.Not really a geographically located guardian gang, the 
  Robin Hoods take after their historical antecedents; they are a gang dedicated to 
  exposing and opposing corporate and government corruption. Definitely ranked 
  as outlaws, the Merry Men do dress in green (when not in disguise) and do use 
  bows. 
  A favorite tactic of the Robin Hoods is to kidnap a media and bring them along on 
  one of their crusades. This way, the reporter can’t be blamed for their choice of 
  subject, and who will refuse a story with excellent ratings potential? 
  The gang has many techs, netrunners, fixers, and prowlers. They acquire their 
  information through their reputation for helping the common person, bribery, 
  blackmail, and netrunning. There are an estimated 100 members. 
  Skills: Awareness, Athletics, Pick locks, Electronic security, Archery, Stealth, 
  Hide/evade, Shadow/track, Library search, Disguise, Streetwise and Weapons 
  
  tech. B&E and archery skills are usually high. Archery specialists (skill 8+) will 
  sometimes ricochet their shots around corners, much to the chagrin of corporate 
  security (-5 to hit, but with an area affect warhead, so what?). Citywide 
  Reputation is 5; to the person on the street they are helpful outlaws who fight the 
  system for them, but to the corporations they are an extremely unpleasant 
  annoyance, always making the corporations look bad. 
  Equipment: Breaking and entering tools of all kinds. Experts at shimmying 
  handcuffs and locks of all kinds. Ninja smoke pellets, the IR proof kind. Smoke 
  and paint grenades. Quick change disguises. Radio headsets that look like 
  walkmans. The good will of the common people. 
  Weapons: Custom made collapsing compound bows equivalent to Eagletech 
  Tigercat Compound Bow. EX +1 N P 6d6 12 1 VR 150m. Computerized sights 
  and gyro-stabilization (negates running & turning penalties). Usually smarted, 
  which increases base accuracy to +2. 
  The quiver (what the arrows are held in) have special spring mechanical 
  grabbers in the bottom to hold any arrow in place, even through falls and hanging 
  upside down. Robin Hoods carry a mix of arrows. Usual mix is 8 target, 8 
  broadhead, 2 stun, and 2 warhead. 
  Target arrows treat all armor as 1/2 SP but do full penetrating damage (narrow 
  head with a lot of mass and kinetic energy behind it). Broadhead arrows are 
  blade AP (AP v soft armor only) but do double penetrating damage. Stun has a 
  blunt head, stun damage only, and leave a nasty bruise. Warhead is a 25mm 
  grenade as warhead, -2 to hit; HEP is the usual load, although sometimes 
  flash/bang or chemical loads are used, like smoke, teargas, glue, slick liquids, 
  paint, or acid. 
  The typical archery specialist is a prowler, and carries a second quiver and a lot 
  more warhead arrows. Merry Men techs make the bows and arrows and 
  warheads themselves. Frequently warhead arrows have to be armed by 
  squeezing the arrow base with a usual grip; if not they go off on the second 
  impact (this lets archery specialists use a just slightly different grip and ricochet a 
  
  warhead around a corner). A common tactic is to fire an acid load to remove a 
  window and follow it immediately with tear gas, sleep gas, frag, or a message. 
  This way the second arrow is in flight as the first arrow’s load removes the glass. 
  When several archers do this, they can really mess up a board meeting or the 
  inside of a car. 
  Crime & Gangs
  Crime & Gangs
  Crime & Gangs
  Crime & Gangs    
  The Urban Klingons (TM)
  The Urban Klingons (TM)
  The Urban Klingons (TM)
  The Urban Klingons (TM)    
  Atlanta was always home to the largest science fiction conventions in the 
  southeast, and always had a large number of fans who would dress up in full 
  Klingon regalia and makeup. In the 21st century, a small number of them decided 
  that with all the problems humans were facing during the Collapse, they might as 
  well be Klingons. Taking up the Klingon Way (TM), and later body sculpting, and 
  adding bioware & cyberware, they forged themselves into beings who every inch 
  resembled their fictional counterparts.The proud warrior ethic, strong ability to 
  survive, and the chance to leave behind a painful past attracted many to this 
  Klingon posergang. To join, an entrant must prove that they have the fierce heart, 
  love of (the Klingon version of ) honor, and love of battle. Those who prove their 
  worthiness are accepted into the gang, and receive much modification and 
  training to become full-blown high tech savvy Urban Klingon warriors. 
  The Atlanta gang admits to 500 members. Other chapters exist in other cities, but 
  Atlanta’s is probably the largest. 
  All Urban Klingon gang members receive the following modifications to better 
  resemble their namesakes, who have big ridges on their heads and backups for 
  every major bodily system: Major facial modification (as per exotics) 1d6 HL, 
  2000 E$; Muscle and Bone Lace (+2 to body) 1d6/2 HL, 1500 E$; Replitech 
  TuffBone Skeletal Enhancement, Alpha Level, +1 Body type for lift/carry, 
  Strength Feat, & BTM v Melee/HTH damage, 1d6/2 HL, 1300E$ (Chromebook 
  4); Nanosurgeons (doubles healing rate), 1d6/2 HL, 6000E$; Lifesaver 
  
  Skinweave, functions as Enhanced Antibody Treatment giving +1 to healing rate, 
  plus seals blood vessels and counters shock, so Death Level only advances 1 
  every 4 minutes, and Critical wound level does not advance to Mortal if rough 
  treatment can be avoided, 1d6/2+1 HL, 4500 E$ (Chromebook 1); Anti-Plague 
  Nanotech, gives +3 Body type rolls v contracting disease or biowar agents, 0.5 
  HL, 1750 E$; Biomonitor, 1HL, 100E$; Bodyweight Autoinjector (linked to the 
  biomonitor) with 2 doses of Stim (negates wound mods to stats for 1d6+1 
  minutes, then take 1-2 more points damage), 1 dose of Surge (ignore need for 
  food & sleep, +1 to Stun saves for 1d6+1 hours), and 2 doses of Trauma2 (a 
  better version of Trauma1, +3 Death Save for 1d6+1 minutes), these are all in 
  Chromebook 4, and the autoinjector is linked to the Biomonitor. All cyberware is 
  hardened. 
  All together, this adds +2 to Body (+3 for most things), boosts healing rate to 3 
  boxes per day, boosts stun save by +1, and boosts Death Saves by +3, which 
  are only made every 4 minutes, making Klingon warriors harder to knock down. It 
  also hits for an average HL of 14.5 or 1 point of Empathy. Many upgrade their 
  Muscle & Bone Lace to +3 (adding 2HL), add a neural processor (3HL), Interface 
  plugs (4HL), Smartgun Link (2HL), — package 11HL, and even Grafted Muscle 
  (7HL) or a Cybermodem link (1HL) for netrunners. 
  So how does the gang afford such expensive mods for all of its members? First, 
  they provide their own labor and medical facilities. The Atlanta Urban Klingons 
  have been in business for 20 years. They have at least 30 medtechs. 5 minor 
  surgical facilities are scattered throughout the city, and 1 major, full capability, 
  surgical facility is at their main base. Second, they make lots of money, which is 
  also how they can afford a couple of AV4s (”shuttles”). 
  This Klingon gang field beta & gamma tests high tech weaponry and equipment 
  for many of the R&D companies and subsidiaries in town. They insist on the 
  equipment at least being mostly safe for them to use. Klingons deliver a lot of 
  physical punishment to their gear, so they are perfect for durability tests. They 
  also have 10 labs around town that would rival Consumer Reports’. Their fierce 
  
  sense of honor means they do not sell companies’ secrets, and Klingons are 
  notoriously hard to bribe or torture. Seduction has been known to work, but then 
  the warrior in question loses his honor, and it is a hard path to recover it. 
  Also, they serve as bouncers, security and techs at many clubs around town. 
  Having a Klingon bouncer is always fashionable and serviceable. It’s the black 
  leather, the blacker sneer, and the efficient fierceness with which they perform 
  their jobs. Average rep of the gang is 5. 
  And the Urban Klingons have distribution of all science fiction games, movies, 
  books, and braindances sewn up tight. They get a piece of any action from those 
  items — and they insure that the shipments are safe, riding shotgun, and 
  providing security services at the theatre or braindance club (putting in time in the 
  public’s face) whenever a new science fiction movie or braindance is released. 
  The Urban Klingons own, manage, and run most of the gaming & science fiction 
  stores in town. (Yes, there are Klingon accountants — they are very fast, not into 
  overbearing accuracy because that is not the Klingon way [except in the 
  sciences], and never, ever, question their numbers!) 
  Urban Klingon security tend to be of gangers or dual role ganger/solos. They 
  often add some cyberware (as above) to become meaner. The Klingon Marines 
  are an elite strike team of ganger/solos used for enforcement. They are totally 
  bad, with high skills and lots of cyber and high tech equipment and weapons, 
  especially the experimental or milspec versions. 
  Since the “real” Klingons are a high tech culture, the gang emulates this by 
  having lots of techs and even research scientists! (although they perform 
  research in the Klingon way.) Many gangers are dual role ganger/techs. 
  They will typically have the following skills at a level at least half of their rank: 
  Expert: Klingon culture, Language: Klingon, Martial Arts: Sambo, Melee, Fencing 
  (Klingon sword, the battleth), Basic tech or Weapon tech, and Intimidation. Also, 
  they will have their special ability and other skills appropriate to their role. 
  Klingon gangers are efficient, violent, and coated in high tech. Expect other 
  cyberware than listed here, and current or improved versions of equipment from 
  
  all the Chromebooks. They are frequently toting something as part of a corporate 
  test, whether it is a new fabric, new plastic, or new weapon. 
  A pocket computer with scanner mods is standard, sculpted to look like a 
  tricorder (TM). 
  The standard sidearm is the Techtronica Model 010 Volt Pistol, P +1 J R 3d6 6 1 
  ST 25m, fires an electrical charge that ignores armor. Any cyberlimb hit will be 
  shorted out for 1d6+3*10 seconds (if a critical hit, this is permanent), if shielded 
  there is still a 20% chance of shorting out. If hit in an area without a cyberlimb or 
  in a meat limb, any adjacent cyberware rolls on the microwaver table at +2. 
  Grounded armor (has to be specially made that way) negates the effect. The 
  pistol is sculpted to look like a disruptor. 2 extra magazines are carried. Klingons 
  prefer to close and use their melee weapons, but they are not tactically stupid. 
  They also love lasers, but so far those have been mostly unsatisfactory in 
  performance. 
  Other more common guns are often used, as well, particularly heavy SMG’s and 
  microwavers. Experimental or milspec weapons are sometimes seen, but only 
  when necessary — Klingons never tote railguns just to walk down the street, but 
  if they needed to take out a competitor they might use one. 
  The gangers usually tote a combat knife (1d6, but can pop two extra small blades 
  for an extra +2) or the Klingon sword, a battleth. A battleth is two inward pointing 
  curves of metals, one set inside the other, each curve ending in a point, and the 
  inner curve has a blade edge. At 3d6 (blade AP), this is a big, heavy weapon, 
  easily weighing 5 kilos. Another popular blade weapon (a “worf special”) 
  resembles a tonfa (a club with a perpendicular handle close to one end), except 
  that instead of a club, there is a slightly curved blade. The long end rests against 
  the forearm, and the blade is used for slashing or chopping. 3d6 blade AP. 
  Urban Klingons wear a comfort underliner like the cops, and over it heavy leather 
  boots (SP18), cloth pants and sleeves (SP16), and heavy leather torso armor 
  (SP 20, EV -1). Mastoid commos are a standard part of the uniform, and 
  
  frequently a longer range com unit is added (made to look like a communicator 
  from the movie/tv/braindance/book series). 
  They have a large, fortified base complex in the Combat Zone consisting of 
  several buildings. These look like decrepit apartment buildings on the outside but 
  inside resemble a starbase, complete with electric eye swishing doors, and lots 
  of large, clunky, heavy metal features for that late-Klateth period Klingon feel. 
  Plenty of sensor lights, computers, etc. 
  The Urban Romulans (TM)
  The Urban Romulans (TM)
  The Urban Romulans (TM)
  The Urban Romulans (TM)    
  Where there are Klingons, there are Romulans.The Urban Romulans gang is 
  much smaller, having only about 80 members. Their cyber and equipment is 
  similar to the Klingon gang, similarly made to look like items from the various 
  entertainment productions. 
  The gang makes its money running several AV garages. They do really excellent 
  work and have a good reputation for it. Their goal is to make enough money to 
  buy enough parts and eventually build a fleet of heavily armed “shuttles” with 
  which to sufficiently squash their rivals, the Urban Klingons. As the gang is five 
  years old, this goal is underway, and rumor has it the gang has a couple of 
  unique AV’s with heavy firepower hidden somewhere. 
  The Urban Romulans also occasionally make money and earn favors by 
  supplying the “special needs” of the people who fly the shuttles they work on. 
  Many is the time when an executive finds his repaired AV flown back to them 
  with their favorite drug or a prostitute or a computer chip with valuable 
  information on the back seat. 
  The UR’s have a network of fixers & techs that provide for these “special needs.” 
  They can also help fence goods (but won’t if the Mafia already has a certain 
  territory covered, because they are on good terms with the Mob), smuggle 
  goods, help someone disappear in a hurry, or perform industrial sabotage. 
  Cyberware is as above for the Urban Klingons, but only Minor Facial Modification 
  (1d6/2, 1000 E$) instead of major, and drop the biomonitor and autoinjector. 
  
  Guns are identical; blades are not usually carried. Equipment is also pretty much 
  the same, but the Urban Romulans do not have the same access to high tech 
  equipment or weapons. 
  Many Urban Romulans are dual role gangers/fixers or gangers/techs. Typical 
  skills include AV Tech and Basic tech. Many gangers can also fly AV’s or 
  zeppelins, and all have some kind of drive vehicle skill and a good level of 
  streetwise. Drive and streetwise skills facilitate their smuggling and goods 
  transportation. Average rep on the street is a paltry 2 or 3, and goes like this: 
  those pointy eared guys, they work on AV’s. Not a very notorious gang. 
  The gang owns and maintains many vehicles of all kinds, and although they own 
  a couple of auto garages their main business is their six AV hangars, scattered 
  throughout the city. Each one can handle 2 AV’s at a time. Security is excellent, 
  using advanced sensors, including thermograph, radar, motion detectors, and 
  thugs. There is another hidden hangar outside the perimeter within which sit two 
  super nasty Urban Romulan shuttles with very advanced propulsion systems, 
  hardened electronics, lots of computers for targeting and everything else, big EM 
  weaponry, and big “plasma torpedoes” aboard. Each seats 4 or 6. These were 
  built with lots of money. Sometimes the gang takes them out for test flights, 
  which also causes a rash of UFO sightings. (See the X Files episode Deep 
  Throat for a take on this idea.) 
  Obviously, the Urban Romulans are not really interested in emulating their 
  fictional namesakes, except superficially. Loyalty to the gang, as with any poser 
  gang, is very high. 
  The Trekkies
  The Trekkies
  The Trekkies
  The Trekkies    
  There are at least a dozen poser gangs that emulate their Star Fleet (TM) idols. 
  They are small time gangs and typically have no more than 25 members.Most of 
  these are weak; the worst is led by a very bad Kirk impersonator who is 
  constantly performing the big hand motions and dramatically paused speech of 
  William Shatner. The best of the Trekkie gangs are a small gang in midtown. 
  
  They seem to be a guardian gang, in that they stop crime, but they also seem 
  totally out of touch with reality… 
  Biosculpts and behavior chips are standard. 
  The Uberborg
  The Uberborg
  The Uberborg
  The Uberborg    
  An extremely sick and twisted gang, the Uberborg verge on being a cult. Their 
  sole motivation is to acquire as much cyberware as possible. They don’t go for 
  subtle cyberware either, they want the big, ugly, obvious stuff. Gang members 
  will rob stores in broad daylight, kill people and sell them for parts, take any 
  street job, do anything for money. New members are converted forcibly as often 
  as not, by grabbing them and implanting a neural processor, chipware socket, 
  chiplock, and behavior chip.The leadership of the gang is in question, as the 
  leaders must have gone cyberpsycho, and they obviously don’t make any 
  money, since they convert any money they make into cyber immediately. Very 
  common bioware are Nanosurgeons and Enhanced Antibodies, as these allow 
  for rapid healing after adding cyberware. 
  This gang is a threat because they are very cybered out and inflict ultraviolence 
  as part of acquiring money. The anti-cyborg CUE unit hates the Uberborg. 
   
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Cyberpunk/Unofficial/Datafortress 2020 Archives/Cyberpunk 2020 - Net - Places - Atlanta 2020 by Brenowitz.pdf