Category: Morrow Project planning

Ideas for Local Initiatives

Your RECON team has defeated some local enemies and now wants to help the local people.  What are they going to do?  They have limited gold and  equipment but they have skills and knowledge .  How do they apply these?  What do they buy or build?

The following is a list that might inspire some ideas for the team’s specialists.

Continue reading “Ideas for Local Initiatives”

Task Group Michigan – Campaign Notes #1: Morrow Project Set-Up

This is intended to be a continuing series and will outline  a (4th ed)  TMP campaign set in the lower peninsula of Michigan.  It is assumed that players will begin with characters that are members of a Recon Team.   Their first major scenario will be ‘Liberation at Riverton’

please also see Note #0 “Commander’s Intent”

Task Group Michigan is assigned the following.

Command Team.

Ten personnel with extensive experience in “herding cats”, crisis management and strategic planning.  Their job is directing/coordinating the various MP teams and ensuring that the Morrow Project is being effective in the Reconstruction Effort.  This team is equipped with 2 vehicles

  • V-150 APC (equipped with Heavy Machine Gun)
  • M35 2-1/2 ton truck with Medium cargo trailer

Recon Teams:

There are 4 Reconnaissance and Contact teams.  Each is made up of 6 people and is equipped with 2 vehicles

  • V-150 – armed with 20mm cannon
  • HMMWV – armed with MK19 grenade launcher

MARS TEAMS:

The Military Assistance, Rescue & Security unit has 12 people and 4 vehicles

  • V-150 – armed with 20mm cannon
  • V-150 – armed with 20mm cannon
  • V-150 – armed with 81mm mortar
  • V-150 – armed with TOW launcher

Medical and Civil Action Teams:

These are 2 large teams with 12 personnel each.  Each team has the following vehicles

  • Commando Ranger
  • HMMWV Ambulance
  • HMMWV – armed with Heavy Machine Gun

Three trailers are also assigned to each team: 1 water purification, 1 fusion power generator and 1 work shop trailer

Agricultural:

Michigan has a substantial agricultural economy and produces an extensive range of products (second only to California).  Therefore, Task Group Michigan has 2 fully equipped Agriculture Teams.  Each Team has 10 personnel and the following vehicles

  • HMMWV – armed with Heavy Machine Gun
  • 3 M35 2-1/2 ton truck with Medium cargo trailer

An additional cargo trailer is set up as a portable laboratory.

Engineering:

There is one Engineering Team.  This has 9 personnel and the following vehicles

  • v-150 – ARV variant
  • 2-1/2 ton truck with portable machine shop
  • HMMWV – armed with MK-19 Grenade Launcher

Three trailers are also assigned to each team: 1 portable forge, 1 fusion power generator and 1 general cargo

Science Team:

No specific Science Team is assigned to Task Group Michigan.  However, the Command Team has the capability to communicate with a Science -One unit operating in Wisconsin.

Specialty Teams

OIL TEAM: As implied in the “Commander’s Intent” briefing, one Specialty Team is capable of operating an oil well.  It consists of 10 personnel (geologists, and mechanics/technicians).  It has 4 trucks which carry the necessary equipment to extract and refine fuel, lubricants and various other petrochemicals.
AIR TEAM: Two Airscouts are assigned to Task Group Michigan, along with 8 personnel to fly and maintain them.
COMMUNICATION & LIAISON TEAMS: There are five C&L Teams. These are small (3-person) units that are intended to ensure continuous communication between MP units and also between the Project and survivors.  They have extensive communications gear and equipment such as cameras, loudspeakers and printers. Each team has 1 HMMWV and a cargo trailer
PORT INFRASTRUCTURE TEAM: This is a large (20-person) team of civil engineers and technicians.  Their role is to clear, maintain and operate river and lakeshore ports.  They have the same equipment as the Engineering Team, plus a bulldozer and front-loader.

 

 

 

 

Task Group Michigan – Campaign Notes #0. Before the Module: Briefing the Team – Commander’s Intent

This is a suggested briefing for the Recon Team that will be involved in “Liberation at Riverton”

“OK, people.  Thank you for coming”

“In case you didn’t know, I am the Regional Group Leader for Task Group Michigan.  You’re here today so that you can understand my… and the Project’s…intentions for Reconstruction in Michigan.  You’ll be doing Recon in the lower peninsula, so we’ll concentrate on that”

“First of all, I want you to remember the old Real Estate slogan ‘Location, Location, Location’.  Michigan has a LONG shoreline and access to 4 of the 5 Great Lakes.   This will be of major importance for communication and transport.  So… we will need to know about surviving port facilities and any functioning shipyards”

“Second… we’ll want you to check out the economy and resources. Obviously, Michigan’s most famous for making cars and trucks – but it also produces a lot of timber products.   Incidentally, your equipment will include details on producing Wood Gasifiers.  You may find that this will be useful for areas that don’t have liquid fuel .  ALSO… Michigan’s lower peninsula has several oil and gas fields.  They’re not huge and mostly rely on the “Nodding Donkeys”.  However, we’ll need something that produces fuel and lubricants.  I’m sure you won’t be surprised to learn that one of the Task Group caches is essentially a drill and small refinery.  We need you to tell us where to operate”

“Third… surviving government.   I’m not optimistic about Detroit’s chances but it might be worth a look in that direction – if only for scrap metal.   Lansing…and the State legislature should also be investigated.  I suspect that it’ll be a target.   But, again, it might be worth looking at  Remember… the Project wants to work with Federal and State government ”

“Fourth…surviving military and security.  Michigan has several military bases.  Some of them are pretty big.  Maybe big enough to survive after being attacked.  Camp Grayling, for instance.  Lots of terrain.  Dozens of armored vehicles and it even has some experimental ‘green’ power generation systems.  Mostly solar, and wind .  Even if the original garrison does not survive… SOMEONE is going to be poking around the place and we’ll need to know about it.  I would also like to know the current condition of the Michigan State Police.  They have a good reputation for dealing with Disasters”

“Fifth…surviving Educational and Scientific assets.   By this I mean everything from people to facilities.  For example, experts in training nurses or  the Michigan University’s cyclotron.”

“OK.  Those are my priorities.  Any questions?”

 

MORROW PROJECT MENTAL HEALTH TRAINING

IMHO, one of the big problems that the Morrow Project should anticipate is damage to the mental health of its personnel (specifically problems like Compassion Fatigue, Vicarious Trauma and PTSD). Granted, MP personnel should anticipate dealing with a horrible situation but – this is TEOTWAWKI – anyone so lacking in empathy that they’ll be unaffected by the catastrophe is unlikely to have been recruited in the first place.
Therefore, I propose that MP training includes the following advice:

1. Assess yourself

 

Your training is intended to prepare you to assess the problems faced by Survivor Communities; apply the same approach to your own situation.  What’s causing you the most stress? What would you like/need to change? If unchanged, what is likely to be the problem(s) that will make you unable to function in the Reconstruction?

2. Start looking at self-care solutions

 

Again, use your training. You should be able to create MANY solutions for helping Survivor Communities and the type of thinking needed for self-help is similar. Brainstorm with colleagues; find a variety of possible ‘coping strategies’ that you (and other team members) might be able to use. If you’re not able to talk to colleagues, you should seek out MP counselling (psychosocial technicians, or chaplains).

3. Make time for relaxation

 

You’re given a “Personal Effects Satchel (PES)” for a reason.   Select and use the contents wisely. Try to spend at least 30 minutes a day doing something other than your MP duties. Watch your favourite movie, read, listen to ‘your’ music, perhaps even do some Yoga.   Use whatever works to allow you a transition from MP duties to relative calm

4. Delegate

 

Even though you’re likely to be the only expert in your ‘specialty’, other members of your team should be able to provide some help in your specialist field. YOU MUST ASK FOR HELP WHEN YOU NEED IT. Self-reliance is good, but no-one can do everything and a refusal to delegate can easily lead to burn-out

5. Keep fit

 

Physical and mental health are linked. It may be a truism but  “a healthy mind in a healthy body” is something to aim for. Make time for exercise and ensure that you’re eating properly (your team’s Medical Specialist should be able to advise you on nutrition)

Morrow Base: French Island, Wisconsin

Extract from orientation briefing given to the staff of Morrow Project Reconstruction Base #6, codenamed  “Platinum Slingshot”

“So you’re asking… Why are we at this funny little island ?  Even if it is on the Mississippi?  And very central?  Well let me give you a summary of what is ON this island.

Continue reading “Morrow Base: French Island, Wisconsin”

Morrow Project Variations – The Atlantis Project

Morrow Project operations outside North America.

GAME BACKGROUND
The Atlantis Project was a throw-away mention in the Morrow Project module, “Prime Base” with an implication that it was to be activated 150 years after the fall of civilization.  The reasoning was (apparently) that it would take that long to rebuild the US and allow it to assist the rest of the planet.
My version of the Atlantis Project has a different approach and (like the US version) is intended to start operating in the 3-5 year period – but planned for the possibility of having to wait for up to 75 years.  Therefore there is no overlap with the “canon” game, which is set 150 years after the collapse.  The Morrow Project might find traces of the Atlantis Project (or be contacted by descendants of the original personnel).
The Atlantis Project was set up with a very different philosophy from the parent Morrow Project and is intended to be less hierarchical and more ‘open-source’.
Note: this is not canon. It allows me to set up a Project that is very different