Norfolk Status: Going Home Time Frame

[kalos72]

Hey guys...

One thing I wanted to ask was, who was actually stationed in Norfolk before Going Home

I mean its supposed to be an HQ but had no stationed units Anyone think that through or do a write up there

Seems more Civgov units were in the area then anything Milgov no

Just a random thought...

[Adm.Lee]

Dunno about the US Army, but the Navy has a lot of ships there, and I think Atlantic Fleet's HQ. Lots of Marine & Navy installations around, such as the amphibious force's bases (includes Special Warfare).

Wikipedia says that nearby Fort Monroe is the HQ for the Army's Training & Doctrine Command. The fort closed in 2005.

That's all I have, someone who's been there may have more for you.

[Legbreaker]

By 2000, and after several years of warfare, nukes and civil disorder, who knows who's there It's possible the entire area was abandoned and then reoccupied by an advance force a short time before TF34 arrived.
Anyone who had occupied the area without the military's authorisation would surely have fled the moment the fleet appeared on the horizon and started landing troops. 50,000 soldiers make a persuasive argument!

[pmulcahy11b]

Langley AFB isn't far from Norfolk, just to throw a little spin into it. Home of squadrons of F-15A/Bs, C/Ds, and Es, and the personnel and equipment needed to support them.

[Legbreaker]

Those F-15's aren't like to remain there after so many years of warfare though are they Anything that can fly and be fitted with a weapon would be pushed to one of the many combat theatres, at least until the fuel ran out.
Supporting units/troops would also be moved to where they can be more useful.

[kalos72]

Well, I understand whats near it now. But per canon, who was there to run the joint

It was still the Navy HQ to the best of my knowledge, some units had to be there to secure the ships right

What ships were there, nothing canon that I am aware of.

One of the things that always annoyed me was the lack of ANY information about other units. Nothing about Engineer battalions or AAB's or MI units. I guess the sheer volume there could have caused alot of issues for the writers but still...I wish.

[Legbreaker]

But per canon, who was there to run the joint

Absolutely nothing and nobody. It's up to the individual GM to populate the area if they so wish. Personally I can't see much point as PCs aren't likely to be involved even in the small scale decisions and certainly not in the preparatory phases of the operation.

It might be interesting for a PC group to be sent ahead as a part of a scouting mission, but given that the game concepts have the PCs in eastern or central Europe when the mission is being organised....

Whatever units were their prior to the evacuation would have undoubtedly been absorbed, reorganised, or even disbanded by the time PCs arrive (unless they're sent ahead).

[Slappy]

Only as a civilian, but I've spent a fair amount of time in the Norfolk / Hampton / VA Beach area. The place is littered with bases. Shipyards, naval aviation, training, weapons development and testing, logistics, you name it. It's pretty scattered and maybe not the most combat ready, but even without an infantry formation per se, it adds up to thousands of personnel, even before you count civilians. It's also home to thousands more ex service members who could probably be mobilized in a pinch.

I think they'd have to reorganize, rationalize the footprint, find a way to get extra equipment, etc. But I have no trouble believing that the personnel on hand could hold and maintain that area if they were loyal and had food. If you further assume that even a couple smaller units stayed there for added security rather than being deployed to Europe, you have a good base for the TF to return to without needing big named units in place there.

[WallShadow]

IIRC there was an enclave at Norfolk performing salvage and support following the nukes dropped on the base/area.

[Legbreaker]

I've now searched through all the books and Challenge articles and came up with this.

Howling Wilderness

Norfolk/Portsmouth, VA: Atlantic Command Headquarters, port and facilities (1 Mt).

Note this strike occured in 1997.

Challenge #30

U.S. Military Government's enclave at Norfolk, Virginia

This is a snip from the 17th of June 1999 when the Eastern Military Government of Canada reached out to both Milgov and Civgov simultaneously. Note however this is an article on Canada written by Legion G. McRae (who was a prolific contributor to the magazine, and also wrote part of Twilight Nightmares). Not technically canon, but about as close as you're likely to get.

The article "A Rock in Troubled Waters" in Challenge #42 also has a few references to Norfolk, but not much beyond a few vessels in the area.

[raketenjagdpanzer]

I would imagine the nuke footprint on that entire region would be so big that the personnel in charge of Norfolk would be rats and cockroaches; however, they might at least truck in a few hundred people to help the soon-to-be-discharged 50000+ military (seriously, five divisions worth of troops and MilGov - who is just barely holding on to the oil fields in Oklahoma - is going to just let the lot of them wander off into Mad Max land!) get squared away and disbursed.

If the USSR didn't flatten Norfolk and surrounding environs then you might as well say Elves with +2 broadswords run it because that's the level of fantasy we'd be talking about.

[pmulcahy11b]

Those F-15's aren't like to remain there after so many years of warfare though are they Anything that can fly and be fitted with a weapon would be pushed to one of the many combat theatres, at least until the fuel ran out.
Supporting units/troops would also be moved to where they can be more useful.

My point here is, what did they leave behind A computer with personal records and protected by a Faraday cage A vault with who-knows-what inside ETC...

[Legbreaker]

1 MT is going to do some serious damage. http://nuclearsecrecy.com/nukemap/&k..._1=365060&zm=9
The prevailing winds at that time of year are also going to drive the fallout south along the coast. https://www.windfinder.com/windstati..._naval_station
Fortunately the area was only hit with one large strike, http://forum.juhlin.com/showthread.phpt=851, however the published lists only include warheads of 0.5 megaton or more. It's quite possible, even probable, smaller warheads struck nearby. One of those were probably targeted at Langley AFB. http://nuclearsecrecy.com/nukemap/t=...aa809c250eb874

[rcaf_777]

One of those were probably targeted at Langley AFB.

but that not canon ethier

[Targan]

but that not canon ethier

Unless there is a mention in a canon source of Langley having been spared, it's entirely possible. One or more sub-0.5mt strikes on Langley wouldn't contradict canon unless a canon source specifically says Langley is intact.