Fast Forward -April-

All of April in brief

The group continues its once per week meetings, they are now less about planning and more about progress reports, with a good amount of off topic socializing. Five days per week most members take part in the martial arts and physical fitness class. Also there is a twice per week target shooting class set up.

The focus is acquiring as much useful junk as possible, keeping in mind the Prof.’s prediction of a mini oil shock coming soon that will see all prices increase.

Students spend the first half of the month frantically finishing projects and doing exams. There is little time for them to do prepping work.

April 19 is last day of university exams.

A few days after this the Prof. will launch his media blitz, putting up several vids on the internet, opening several blogs and web forums, and getting himself air time on TV. He has carefully planned this with some of the students.

By the end of April the land deal for the farm is done and work on it can start.

Note:

If PCs want to have accomplished specific tasks during this month let me know sooner than later. Otherwise the assumption will be that normal life takes up most of your time and prepping is a hobby.

Many supplies were ordered in April with a delivery date of mid May, after road work and site clearing were expected to be done. ( this was a bit of a risk because the land deal was not yet finalized when the orders were placed )

Game Log Week 4

( last week of March )

Group - long meeting on Monday night, talking about the plans for the farm-fort and the construction schedule of it. Work can not start until the land sale is finalized, which will be late April. The plan would see major work done by end of July and finishing details done by end of August. 

( see end notes on construction )

Scott "trucker"- Had a job that took him out of town for 4 days. He then buys 2 more ISO boxes, placed at his house, for storage of equipment and useful junk.

Ranger Bob – looks for other land, just in case the deal does not work for Migic site.

Farmer Brown – looks at Migic site, talks to old owner, who has lived there all his life. His aim is to get a very good idea of the lay of the land.  Doreen goes with him.

Doc & Grunt – start work with Kateri’s friend’s construction company. This provides money and valuable work experience building houses.

Kateri – more design work for base. The plan could be her final project for university, but the group would like to keep it secret.

Kellyanna – out of town 3 days for anime convention.

May Lin – acquires 4 Sanyo Pro 700 phones, which have walky-talky ability.

Marco – who is an electrical engineer, joins the group. He has some good ideas on plan for the farm-fort, especially for the power system. Also he brings up the question of security systems for it.      

End Note – construction schedule

Repairs to road – 3 days

Clearing of woods for building and farm field – 6 days

Placing plan markers – 1 day

Digging main basement, utility trenches, wells and geo-thermal system – 5 days

Placing basement containers & joining them – 3 days

Cutting air vents and access panels – 2 days

Placing main level central building boxes & joining them – 3 days

Cutting windows and access points – 2 days

Placing main level central building boxes & joining them – 3 days

Cutting windows and access points – 4 days

Placing second level central building boxes & joining them – 3 days

Cutting windows and access points – 4 days

Building of internal stair ways – 2 days (moving in of heavy / bulky items – same time)

Placing of outer ring of containers & joining them – 2 days

Placing dirt mound around outer ring – 4 days

Some items can run at same time, but this provides basic order of events. Total 47 days.

Internal work will include the following;

Electrical systems 3 weeks

Plumbing systems 2 week

Drywall installing 2 weeks

Door & window hanging 2 weeks

Most of this work can run at same time over a 3 week period, about 21 days.

Thus we have a minimal estimated time of 68 days – continuous work.

Of the group who will be doing work –

full time; Katiri, Doc, Grunt, Brown, Yvan,

part time; Doreen, May Lin, Scott, Bob, Marco.

A plumber will need to be hired. 

More extra hands may be needed. 

Game Log - Week 3

Group – talks about having alternative bug out locations if the main base falls. Everyone is encouraged to ask relatives, who own land, if they can use a bit to build a cottage. It is up to the individual how much they will tell relatives about the survival plans.

Group martial arts & physical fitness training starts, 1 hour / day alternating work outs. 

Group goes to shooting range for target practice with both rifles and hand guns.

Scott "trucker"- Had a job that took him out of town for 2 days.

Bob & Brown with Doreen & Kellyanna – start mortgage applications to buy the farm in Migic. Also Brown puts in for Gov. farmer assistance loan.

Ranger Bob – also looks into firing range, can one be built in a 40ft ISO box ?

Farmer Brown – has a relative in Point George NS who will let him use some land as bug out cottage.

Yvan – looks into building a bike powered battery recharger.

Doc & Grunt – panhandling for cash, scavenging for useful items.

Doc – plans out detailed time use for himself to learn new things and become more fit.

Kateri – more design work for base, now specific to Migic farm site. Relative in Bay du Vin NB has land she can use as bug out cottage. Also she gets some work for Doc & Grunt under the table with construction crew, starting next week.

Kellyanna – looking for 4 more dogs to be trained

Ray Frasier – Has relatives with land on Grand Manan Island, they will let him use a bit. 

May Lin – research into canning and preserving food stuffs.

The farm in detail

Detailed Topographic view of the Migic "Brooklyn road" farm site.
In reality it is several lots of property, that we shall assume is owned by one old farmer, and is now up for sale. It is about 240 acres, with a stream and some marsh land in the upper area. Although most of the property fronts on the Brooklyn road, there is access to a small back road that leads more directly to the village.

Detailed Aerial view of the Magic site. You can see the one farmhouse and small section of land that has been recently worked. Most of the property is clearly forest. In the upper area you can see the depression that is the marsh land.

Floor Plan of the Base

Main level of the Big Box Fort.

The inner ring of living quarters surrounds a 40x40ft courtyard. It has 8 single box units for quarters, with 2 large bath rooms, and 2 double box apartments, with private bathrooms. ( one apartment will be converted into a medical bay ) At the front are two double rooms for common use. At the back are the dining room, kitchens, laundry and some utility. Also there is a hallway to the back section of the outer ring that contains utility and storage.

The left side outer ring is for animals, fodder and veterinary use. The right side outer ring is for farm equipment, storage and heavy work shops. The front outer ring is used for light craft shops. The forward right corner is the main entry way. The forward left corner is unwanted guest accommodation. 

The second level.

Flat roof of the outer ring will have a small wall to be used as a battlement in case of attack.

The inner ring contains 8 single units with 2 big bathrooms, 2 apartments with their own baths, 1 large dorm area with its own bathroom able to hold 8 bunk beds ( it may be converted into 2 apartments that share the same bath ) At the back are common use areas including small reading room and TV room.

Note that the stair wells will continue up to the roof to give easy access to it. A rooftop garden should be planned for both useful edible needs and as camouflage from the air.

The basement level.

The outer ring is placed on a slab foundation or rammed earth. The inner ring is dedicated to storage. However, under the kitchen area there is a secret container that will act as a hide out for children and those unable to fight in the event of a serious attack.

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These plans represent a structural arrangement that will need about 200x20ft ISO boxes and 18x40ft ISO boxes ( some things are best done with the 40ft boxes although they could be done with 20s )
If we assume an average cost of $1000 x box we are looking at a basic structural cost of  $218,000, which is not bad when you consider the durability of the ISO containers, they are bulletproof against small arms. 

The basement will need almost no work to finish it, because it will be used for storage. Some thought to lighting and ventilation is required. Like wise in the outer ring of the main level, most of it will be left rough with only essential fittings. Of course the work shops will need some plumbing.

The living area of the inner ring will need lots of work. A cost estimate is needed for the heating, electrical, ventilation-cooling and plumbing systems. Also we need to establish what are the power requirements of the base and what power sources we have access to. Can we realistically run this place on wind and solar charged battery packs?

Site Maps

Here we have the regional map, upper Bay of Fundy, including the two prime locations for the farm; marked by Yellow Dots.  They offer very different advantages and drawbacks.

The Beaumont Location.

Located near the tip of land, between Petitcodic and Memramcook Rivers, the area is rough sloping up to the central hills. A hidden and defensible position could easily be built with possible hillside bunker. The land can be farmed but it is not great. It does support lots of trees. Weather may be harsh. Tidal power would be plentiful. It offers easy travel by small boat and the possible delivery of cargo by small ship to the village of Belliveau. The central ridge area is crown land and used for hunting.

The Migic Location 

 

Located on the Brooklyn road near the village of Migic, it is an old farm, with most of its land being forested only a small part was recently worked. Across the road is a large section of crown land, mostly marshes. Up from the farm is a large woodlands area used for hunting. A small brook runs through the upper area of the property. The near by old rail line is now part of the Canada Trails system, the rails are gone.

Being more central and inland the weather tends to be better than the coastal location. It is off the main road, about equal distance between Sackville in the south and Port Elgin in the north. Although neither place is a good port for large cargo ships, both give water access to small craft. 

Note - It seems to be possible to follow the marshes and streams in both a north and south direction. With a hovercraft it would be possible to bug out in either direction. 

Game Log Week 2

Prof. – put group in contact with two of his students, a political activist and his girl friend a computer wiz.

Scott "trucker"- Had a job that took him out of town for 3 days. He then got 2x20ft ISO containers, which were dropped off at Doreen’s place to be used for storage.

Ranger Bob & Farmer Brown – went to look at the two potential farm sites, also they considered possible other locations to avoid some dangers like nuclear fallout.  

Yvan – places order with contact for hand guns

Doc & Grunt – panhandling for cash, scavenging for useful items

Kateri – starts doing design plan for farm, research into alternative power systems

Kellyanna – sent Rugby phones to contact to be hacked, got laptop computer for doc.  

Doreen – places order for camping goods enough for 15+ people to spend week outing

Ray Frasier – looked into body armor, found a deal on Point Blank street jackets

May Lin – set up class on physical fitness and martial arts

Game Log Week 1

What Happened during the first week of March. ( brake for students )

Prof. held meetings with groups of potential survivalists, including the PCs.  ( player characters )

After reflecting on what they learned for a day, the PCs and most of their best friends ( NPs ) gathered to talk about the matter and make a plan of action. Basically they aim to build a retreat location outside the city that may function as a self sufficient farm.

Tasks of the week;

Kateri - research use of ISO containers as living units, and what is required to make them habitable. Also look into power requirements and portable generators.

James "Doc" - research what medical supplies may be needed, contact his grandpa to arrange eventual shipment of small military field hospital ( 2 ISO containers; 1 operating room, 1 storage  ) 

Doreen - look into herbal supplies and contact friend at Cos-Co regarding discounts for buying in bulk; cheep surplus items and camping goods. She also cut a deal to pick up unwanted pallets for free. 

Kellyanna - looking into acquiring dogs to be trained as guards, also researching what veterinary supplies we may need on a farm, and what animal drugs may be used on humans if necessary.    

Yvan - promised to get some weapons, took request from "the grunt" who wanted full army infantry kit. Next meeting he will provide weapons catalog for group.


Scott "trucker"- he knows there are many ISO containers in Halifax and a few at Saint John, mostly Irving owned. he will ask about buying them and figure out the transport cost to himself in gas $ for his big truck. 

May Lin - gets hold of 4 Rugby m2 cell phones, the very durable type. 


Ranger Bob - research into buying land, next to crown land which can be used for hunting, three possible locations are found, two will be examined in detail next week. ( 1, near Migic north of Sackville, 2, near Beaumont on the land between Dorchester cape and Hopwell cape ) 

Ray Frasier - the cop was not involved in this week's activity. 


J. Norton "the grunt" - trying to get a job and panhandling for cash with Doc.


Farmer Brown - putting together plan for a farm, what items and supplies are needed.

Cast of Characters

These are the main characters involved in the “Moncton Groop” that the Prof. has set up.

the Player Characters (PCs)

Kateri (?) – female, half native, late 20s, with kids. In her last year of university to be a civil engineer.  Her hobbies involve traditional native skills. She has strong links to native community and wants to make life on the reserve better. Her best friend is Ranger Bob.

Some combat ability – good hunting skills.

James “Doc” Ward – male, late 20s, American illegal immigrant. A military brat, he has a strong pacifistic streak. A trained doctor he served as an ambulance attendant for a time before his Grandpa advised him to go visit Canada. His side kick is J. Norton. 

No combat value.

Doreen (?) – female, early 30s, herbalist. She owns a small shop at edge of town, specializing in natural remedies, she has a side line in recreational weed. She has friendly links to both local police and underworld. Her best friend is RCMP constable Ray.

Some agility with guns and traps.

Kellyanna Mercs – female, late 20s, animal enthusiast and otaku. She is in final year of her veterinary medicine degree. An incredibly beautiful “nerd girl” she has a following of fans on line. Almost all her free time not spent with animals is spent on anime. Her best friend is Denie Brown.   

Good basic combat ability.  

the None Player Characters (NPCs)

Yvan Rodchenco – male, Russian immigrant, late 20s. His is a professional construction worker, at college improving his skills. He also is a gun enthusiast, with his own U-tube channel. He has connections back home to legally get almost any fire arm. He is very sociable and thinks Canada the real land of opportunity.

Good guns skills, training as soldier, never saw action.  ( Intended to be a PC )

Scott Broman – male, redneck of Albert County, mid 30s. Truck driver by trade, he is good with engines and all sorts of many hobbies. A big strong guy, he comes off very intimidating but he is really quite nice. His lover is May Lin fong. Good brawling skill and hunting skill. ( Intended to be a PC )

May Lin Fong – small female, Hong Kong immigrant, early 20s. She was briefly a pro Asian MMA fighter, but she left all that behind to avoid some trouble. She is now at university and working part time as telemarketer. She is a serious bad ass, who tries to be a quiet girl. She took Scott as lover because he was a gentle giant.  The Prof actually contacted her, and she got Scott involved in the group.

Excellent unarmed combat, no guns skill.

 

Robert “Bob” Wolflog – male, native, late 20s, best friend of Kateri. He is a park ranger, with law enforcement and outdoor skills. Although he tries hard not to seem native, when on duty, he has a sense of duty to them. He does not see himself as a traditionalist.

Good combat and hunting ability.

Raymond “Ray” Frasier – male, early 30s, RCMP constable, best friend of Doreen. He is a not so honest officer, letting little things slide. He is more like a jaded American cop just doing a job, than a shiny Canadian Mounty. Good combat training not just guns skill.

John J. Norton – male, American former soldier, mid 30s. A typical Texan, he was career enlisted grunt until discharged for medical reasons. A reliable guy with little initiative, he tends to take everything seriously. He is Doc’s side kick. He is a cold killer, not a survivalist & gun lover; he sees these things as necessary. 

His combat value is very high.

Denie Brown – male, late 20s, half Acadian, best friend of Kellyanna; one of the few people she can not charm. He is very down to earth and not interested in anime. He is a agricultural major at the university, with the dream of owning a alternative farm. He is an acquaintance of  Doreen. Big and strong he has a wide range of farm-craft skills, but no combat ability.