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If its generally thought that that pre-rifts earth was more or less a cyber-punk culture, what about the existence of corporate armies and high tech private security forces surviving for awhile at least during the CE era? For instance groups like black water? The 2098 equivalent would have MDC gear and could have survived at least a few generations. Most likely they would either die out or get absorbed into whatever factions remained. But there could be rivalries between corporate armies and NEMA trying re-establish control. Pre-rifts animosities could carried over into the post-rifts era.

Sounds like it would fit, but I don't recall off hand of anything like that to be honest (corporate armies).

Thats exactly why I'm bringing it up. It would fit and makes sense, but hasn't been mentioned so far.

Chaos Earth so far has focused pretty much on just NEMA. I think there's definitely some room for other armed and trained groups to be out there. Many of the larger corporations would have security forces in M.D. gear and energy weapons. The companies that actually developed Golden Age super-soldier technology like juicers and power armor would almost certainly have it available to their own people.

this is a good idea. player characters can be trying to escort the CEO to someplace safe, or defend the company's physical holdings against monsters or bandits or petty rivals who have taken the opportunity of the chaos to eliminate their competition. The PCs could be trying to get assistance from NEMA, or they could be trying to avoid "big government entanglements".

Golden Age corporate culture would make a sweet rifter article.

RoadWarriorFWaNK wrote:Golden Age corporate culture would make a sweet rifter article.

Get on it.

This is a great idea. I'm going to have to incorporate this into my CE game. Conflict between NEMA and the contemporary of Blackwater should be fun.

Blindscout wrote:This is a great idea. I'm going to have to incorporate this into my CE game. Conflict between NEMA and the contemporary of Blackwater should be fun.

Don't forget about the Palladium cannon corporations. Cyberrworks, KLS, & Triax. They no doubt have their own security.

Cyberworks: Heavy on partial and full conversion 'borgs and robot drones besides the average seccurity. KLS: Glitterboys and laser reflective body armor. 'Nuff said.

I would LOVE a Rifter article on this idea!

I've use it in a couple CE games - its how I've added Crazies, Headhunters and Juicers into CE and they start as mercs and became reluctant anti-heroes to help those NEMA left behind. It was fun playing NEMA NPCs as bureaucrats who followed the chain of command and never could adapt to the madness whereas the anti-heroes made the hard, fast decisions and dealt with the situations that a lumbering org could not.

Of course, the added fun was the anti-heroes had not support structure, unlike NEMA.

Seneca wrote:

Don't forget about the Palladium cannon corporations. Cyberrworks, KLS, & Triax. They no doubt have their own security.

Cyberworks: Heavy on partial and full conversion 'borgs and robot drones besides the average seccurity. KLS: Glitterboys and laser reflective body armor. 'Nuff said.

Thank you for the reminder, Seneca, I had forgotten about them.

Spinachcat wrote:I would LOVE a Rifter article on this idea!

I've use it in a couple CE games - its how I've added Crazies, Headhunters and Juicers into CE and they start as mercs and became reluctant anti-heroes to help those NEMA left behind. It was fun playing NEMA NPCs as bureaucrats who followed the chain of command and never could adapt to the madness whereas the anti-heroes made the hard, fast decisions and dealt with the situations that a lumbering org could not.

Of course, the added fun was the anti-heroes had not support structure, unlike NEMA.

I like this idea and once my players crawl out of NORAD (that is if they do) will use it as a reason to add Juicers, and Crazies tot he game.

Corporate armies and security forces are an excellent idea, and a lot of the ideas for this could easily be pulled from the Cyberpunk genre of novels. However, there is too much focus on specialized military units in Chaos Earth (and even in most of the Palladium library). What about the developments made during the Golden Age of Man? Sure, some are lost by the time of the Campaign of Blood, but what about within 5 years of the Coming of the Rifts? After all, once the haze of the Golden Age cleared, everyone was in a race for better and nastier technology. And I think both a compilation of Rifts OCC's (juicer, crazy, SAMAS, GB, etc.) as well as write-ups on the tech that didn't survive into the PA calendar are needed in order to fully complete the setting. As it currently stands, the setting is a quite a bit lacking in support details.

I have notes for a book on the business/corporate world, focusing mainly on espionage and cutting edge technology, but that's WAAAAY down the line. I second that it would make a great Rifter article.

Plus, if you write the Rifter article, I can farm it for material if/when I get the chance to write the book.

most cyberpunk megacorps are like OCP in the robocop films. rich enough to afford ALOT of "private security firms" of the paramilitary form, and having a very 'proactive' security department.
or are like Weyland-Yutani in Aliens. with their fingers so deep into the government that they can just whistle up some national military whenever they need it.

if you imagine an evil(er) Microsoft hiring blackwater, your most of the way to how most cyberpunk megacorp 'private armies' work. add in that the megacorps usually all have at least one weapons manufacturer in their brandname, they can then equip their 'private security' with military grade gear 'off the books'..

Jason Richards wrote:I have notes for a book on the business/corporate world, focusing mainly on espionage and cutting edge technology, but that's WAAAAY down the line. I second that it would make a great Rifter article.

Plus, if you write the Rifter article, I can farm it for material if/when I get the chance to write the book.

RoadWarriorFWaNK wrote:Chaos Earth so far has focused pretty much on just NEMA. I think there's definitely some room for other armed and trained groups to be out there. Many of the larger corporations would have security forces in M.D. gear and energy weapons. The companies that actually developed Golden Age super-soldier technology like juicers and power armor would almost certainly have it available to their own people.

this is a good idea. player characters can be trying to escort the CEO to someplace safe, or defend the company's physical holdings against monsters or bandits or petty rivals who have taken the opportunity of the chaos to eliminate their competition. The PCs could be trying to get assistance from NEMA, or they could be trying to avoid "big government entanglements".



Golden Age corporate culture would make a sweet rifter article.

to Jason Richards .The Galactus Kid, RoadWarriorFWaNK
hey take a look at ARM TECH
viewtopic.php?f=36&t=125672
I would be honor even if just take a look
I been doing this when the book CE came out some work with N.E.M.A and ARM TECH ( a black water company ) when it hit the fan , we had N.E.M.A in one side ( players) , C.E.O and families( NON N.P.C ), ARM TECH and families( players) on the other side , civilians ( NON N.P.C ) survivors, terrorist ( yes they were still around third side and some were players!!!!), demons on the other side ,it turn to a free for all in two events one trying to do something while another was doing something else it turn into a real blood bath for the survivors and the demons too. players love it they could go at each other neck like vampires at times

I don't read threads about specific, user-created source material to avoid contaminating my own creative process; I don't mean that in a bad way, just getting others' ideas mixed in with my own. I don't want to accidentally borrow from others and need to be beyond all reasonable doubt should someone accuse me of stealing.

However, you said one thing that already lets me know that it's great:

players love it

That's all that matters.

Jason Richards wrote:I don't read threads about specific, user-created source material to avoid contaminating my own creative process; I don't mean that in a bad way, just getting others' ideas mixed in with my own. I don't want to accidentally borrow from others and need to be beyond all reasonable doubt should someone accuse me of stealing.

nice!!!!love your what u said/posted man!!!

Jason Richards wrote:However, you said one thing that already lets me know that it's great:

players love it

That's all that matters.

wow didn't stop and think about that man !!!thank u man !!!

We know that the Golden Age was falling apart at the time of apocalypse with nationalism and isolation replacing the previous cooperation and communication. MDC was the dividing line between "haves" and "have nots" and I can imagine that outside of the most civilized nations, there would have been more of a cyberpunk-style environment.

If two SA countries are nuking each other, you know there were LOTS of prior tensions. You could easily weave together a pre-CE campaign.

Spinachcat wrote:We know that the Golden Age was falling apart at the time of apocalypse with nationalism and isolation replacing the previous cooperation and communication. MDC was the dividing line between "haves" and "have nots" and I can imagine that outside of the most civilized nations, there would have been more of a cyberpunk-style environment.

If two SA countries are nuking each other, you know there were LOTS of prior tensions. You could easily weave together a pre-CE campaign.

hum have you my crazy idea in A.R.M Tech???

Also I would like to point out the English East India company. At one point they had the power to nearly rival the Royal navy! And could call up on the royal navy At need as well. At the hight of there power they lost there crown charter there merchant fleet was broken up into smaller trade company s and the Royal merchant marine... and there warships bought by the royal navy... in shout the crown bought them out and then broke it up and soiled the parts

I really don't see any government little a company give that powerful again