[d20 Modern] Apocolypse Scenarios

[Velenne]

I'm designing a d20 Modern adventure and I need some help. I'm not too caught up on worst-case-scenario protocols for our gov't and "what would the world do if *this* happened".

If the Pres and VP get off'ed, isn't it the Speaker of the House who becomes Pres?

If DC is ever nuked, where would they move the capitol?

What exactly does DEFCON I entail?



Basically, does anyone know (or know of a website) about goverment protocols if "the worst" should happen?

Specifically, a nuke is delivered by terrorists into New York by ship and set off in port in december of 2005. Prevailing winter winds drive the fallout south, and ultimately east into the Atlantic. The President, who was in town, is killed in the blast.

My take is this:

The VP raises alert status to DEFCON I. Satellite Defense System (finished by Bush in '03) is readied, along with all military forces, and 2,500 nuclear missle silos across the US are armed and readied. The VP broadcasts a statement from a hidden bunker warning the world's nations that any attempt to arm their own nuclear missles will be percieved as intent and met with immidiate retaliation. The world teeters on the edge of nuclear winter while the US scans the horizon for any threats, it's collective finger dangling over a big red button.

Nothing happens.

No one takes credit for the attack which claims over a million lives. The US, with no one to shoot its weapons at, turns its attention to further defense and rebuilding.

The economy plunges and is only saved by the goverment's release in 2007 of previously classified technological advances it has made in the fields of quantum mechanics, nanotechnology, and aviation. These secrets are given to surviving US buisnesses capable of making the most with them. And they do. The next era of technological evolution is brought about: The Nanotech Age.

The adventure begins in 2012.

What do you all think?

 

[Starbuck]

After the Vice President, the order of succession is:

Speaker of the House
President pro tempore of the Senate
Secretary of State

...and others. The full list is here: http://www.factmonster.com/ipka/A0101032.html

As far as moving the capitol, do you mean on a permanent basis? The original capitol was at Philadelphia. I don't think there is a set "backup" city, it would probably be decided when it was needed. Temporarily, in the initial wake of an attack, the government would be ran from the air like in Independence Day.

DEFCON 1 is "maximum force readiness" which means the missiles are flying. The U.S. has only been as far as DEFCON 2 once and that was during the Cuban Missile Crisis. DEFCON 2 is basically everything up to missiles flying. Bombers are in the air, missiles are hot and ready to launch, etc.

Some brief info is at: www.fas.org/nuke/guide/usa/c3i/defcon.htm

So in your scenario, the VP would go to DEFCON 2, not 1. But that's just a nit. I think it's a cool idea!

 

[Lord Zardoz]

Ways for the world to end

Well, though it sounds like you already know what you want to do, here are some ways that for the world to end. After all, Nuclear weapons arent the only game in town. I will quote the ways I remember from a top ten ways the world might end list I read a few years ago. Despite my best efforts, google could not find the original article.

Ways the world might End

1) Weapons of Mass Destruction
Nuclear weapons could destroy cities and start Nuclear winter. Chemical weapons could render the biosphere incapable of supporting life for a few years. Biological Weapons could start a Plague that kills nearly all life. Civilization essentially ends until that stuff in the back of my fridge develops inteligence.

2) Mass Pollution
Toxic and Radioactive contaminate the biosphere to the point where the water supply becomes completely undrinkable. Constant Acid rain and crop failure result. We all die of starvation, slowly and wretchedly. Plenty of birth defects and mutant development along the way too.

3) Asteroid Impact
A huge impact at the optimistic side will cause tidal waves and nuclear winter will do the rest (ala Armageddon / Deep Impact). Alternatively, we could get hit hard enough to shatter this puny planet and transform it into an asteroid belt.

4) Mass Volcanic Eruption
There is geological evidence of a Volcanic eruption that ejected billions of cubic meters of Lava. This would have a huge effect on earths climate. Some hold that such an eruption is what wiped out the Dinosaurs instead of a comet.

5) New Ice Age
An Ice age simply decides to happen. The ice sheets advance, and the climate changes. Organized agriculture becomes impossible. Food riots happen for a while, but in the end, we all starve to death. Much like Mass Polution without the birth defects. Some life continues, just not Human life.

6) Solar Flare
The Sun could pull a fast one, and eject a huge solar flare at us. The UV radiation that would result would sterilize the planet in one huge does of radiation poisoning.

7) Rise of the Machines
Man could be destoryed by his own technology in one of (at least) two ways. First, we could to a real life re-enactment of Terminator. We create an AI or series of AI's that decide they can do better without us, and they win. Second, some twit could create self replicating Nano-Technology which extracts its raw materials out of other matter at the molecular level. This would result in Earth transforming into a ball of grey soup.

8) Alien Invasion
Lots of Movies too chose from here. Independence Day with an alternate ending is the first one that comes into my mind. An alien civilization with advanced technology shows up, eradicates the humans, and moves in.

9) Judgement Day
God finally decides to put in an appearance. He then gives humankind a failing grade, wipes the slate clean, and starts over elsewhere.

Anyway, here are some more immediately useful suggestions for you, Velenne. My first comment is that you are not looking at the big picture with your consequences. Sure, America gets the shaft in your example, but contrary to popular media, America does not equal The Whole World.

1) Diplomatic Fallout: If America did punch it up to DefCon 2 and held the world hostage to its Nuclear arsenal, when things normalized, there would be severe consequences. The rest of the world would probably hit america with some pretty heavy trade sanctions.

2) Who is #1: The world can eventually get on just fine without the US. China could step into the #1 slot easily enough, but there is plenty of social unrest. Japan has the technology, but not the Resources. Russia could very easily be #1 if it can stablize instead of disintegrate. The EU could form a new super nation if the cultural and language differences could be overcome. The US could stay number one, but it wont have nearly the same influence it did before holding the world hostage to Nukes. The nation you chose #1 should greatly reflect the tone of your campaign.

3) Rethink your Disaster: A Nuclear Incident in the US, while effective, is just a bit predictible. For one, when something happens in the movies, its almost ALWAYS happening to or in New York. There are plenty of disasters that could happen. Maybe the CDC has an accident in Atlanta and releases a super plague. Or something contaminates America's food supply and renders the US unable to feed its self, making it dependent on other nations for food.

END COMMUNICATION

 

[Labmonkey-XL]

I think if we knew government protocols, and discussed them on this forum, they will come to our house in ninja suits and cut off our balls.

Or not.... u never know....

 

[Grim]

someone could hack the satalite defence system and use it to wipe out all of the US's nukes. no one would take credit, but then all the other countries would get to say "HA HA." And then the eventual political fallout from the origional hostige of the earth situation would occur, with disastrous consequences.

Also, you could do it Dark Angel style, where EM pulses wipe electricial systems clean around the world. Nas-Ty.

Well thats about all i can think of,

Grim

 

[Jürgen Hubert]

It's a bit late for your adventure, I guess - but if not, buy GURPS Y2K - it's a whole book dedicated to ending the world in various interesting and impressive ways, from the old Y2K bug (remember it?) to the biblical apocalypse.

And it also deals with the government responses, and what happens afterwards...

 

[Velenne]

I'll look around for it. (The game doesn't start until New Year's Day)

 

[Sixchan]

Re: Ways for the world to end

<snip>

5) New Ice Age
An Ice age simply decides to happen. The ice sheets advance, and the climate changes. Organized agriculture becomes impossible. Food riots happen for a while, but in the end, we all starve to death. Much like Mass Polution without the birth defects. Some life continues, just not Human life.

<snip>

Or, if you want something that sounds a little more realistic and believable, say that global warming melted the polar ice caps, which made cold water flow into the North Atlantic, stopping the Gulfstream current that heats the costal areas of our planet. Volia! Instant Iceage.

1) Diplomatic Fallout: If America did punch it up to DefCon 2 and held the world hostage to its Nuclear arsenal, when things normalized, there would be severe consequences. The rest of the world would probably hit america with some pretty heavy trade sanctions.

How interesting it would be if the US was a rouge nation for a change, no?

2) Who is #1: The world can eventually get on just fine without the US. China could step into the #1 slot easily enough, but there is plenty of social unrest. Japan has the technology, but not the Resources. Russia could very easily be #1 if it can stablize instead of disintegrate. The EU could form a new super nation if the cultural and language differences could be overcome. The US could stay number one, but it wont have nearly the same influence it did before holding the world hostage to Nukes. The nation you chose #1 should greatly reflect the tone of your campaign.

It would be interesting! Plus, I'd be able to buy a lot more Anime without an American Market!

3) Rethink your Disaster: A Nuclear Incident in the US, while effective, is just a bit predictible. For one, when something happens in the movies, its almost ALWAYS happening to or in New York. There are plenty of disasters that could happen. Maybe the CDC has an accident in Atlanta and releases a super plague. Or something contaminates America's food supply and renders the US unable to feed its self, making it dependent on other nations for food.

END COMMUNICATION

Waves "What Zardoz said" flag.

 

[Kenpo Wolf]

If you have showtime, watch Jeremiah which is about post apolyptic America. In the series, a desease wiped out most of the adults which left the children to fend for themselves. It has some great plots that could easily be adapted to a Modern campaign

BTW, if you don't have showtime, find someone who does and have them record it for you.

Edit
Another excellent source of using a desease to bring on a armegeddon type campaign is Steven King's The Stand. If tou have'nt seen it yet, it's worth a look

 

[Lord Zardoz]

I have seen "The Stand".

What I really liked about the disease plague concept was that the disease got out of containment because a Security type chose to run the hell away rather then do his job.

END COMMUNICATION