”Winter of '79 represents an alternative history of the late seventies and early eighties.
In this vision, the 'Establishment' take control of the legitimate government and the subsequent 'crackdown' is faced with spontaneous popular resistance led by trade
union, liberal and left-wing elements, which boils over into civil war.”
The original idea was created by Mark Hannam & Matthew Sparkes.
NEWSFLASH
The M1 motorway has been closed to non-authorised traffic.
During the morning, military helicopters and Hercules transport
aircraft have been seen landing at East Midlands airport.
All civilian flights have been suspended.
The local Army HQ is to be established at Nottingham, making use
of the Regional Seat of Government at Chalfont Drive. This force
will assist the newly appointed Regional Commissioner in
maintaining law and order. They will also assist in ensuring
public services and supplies are delivered.
Further units will be commanded from the two East Midlands
Sub-Regional Headquarters.
Union officials and other parties from across the region are
holding a urgent meeting to discuss their response to this sudden action.
Power in the Darkness. A Brief Introduction
My campaign is set in the East Midlands where I now live.
In 1979, it is largely a rural area but with significant industrial pockets in the cities of Derby,
Leicester, Lincoln and Nottingham.
The coalfields of Derbyshire, north-west Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire provide fuel
for several large power stations, including Europe’s largest coal-fired station, generating
1,000 megawatts at High Marnham. This means the East Midlands is a major electricity
supplier to the whole Midlands and the region to the north of it.
The Emergency Government.
Under the Emergency Government, the region is being administered from the Regional
Seat of Government bunker in Nottingham.
The Sub-Regional Headquarters bunker , underground, at Skendleby in Lincolnshire
deals with that county, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire.
The Sub-Regional Headquarters bunker at Loughborough in Leicestershire deals with
that county and Northamptonshire. Note that in this period, Rutland is a district of
Leicestershire.
The other key government location in the area is the regional Armed Forces Headquarters
at RAF Digby in Lincolnshire.
Armed Forces.
There are relatively few Regular Army units based in the region. however, there are many
company and platoon sized Territorial Army (TA) units in the cities and towns.
The largest military force in the East Midlands is the Royal Air Force. There are
numerous airfields, especially in Lincolnshire and eastern Leicestershire and these have a
few squadrons of the RAF Regiment as well as air/ground crew.The senior military
commander in the region is the Air Vice-Marshal at RAF College Cranwell. He is
officially in overall command of all military forces in the five counties.
The first anti-government forces are provided by the Unions, with the miners and the
powerworkers forming militias. These have been strengthened by many of the miners
who are members of of the TA. Some of these have brought heavy weapons and
armoured vehicles with them. Other smaller anti-government groups have been formed at universities, factories and in some communities.
Terrorists.
The two most active terrorist groups in the East Midlands are the Midlands Anti-Fascist
Resistance Army (MAFRA) and the local cells of the New Angry Brigade (NAB).
MAFRA is thought to have several cells operating in the area. This group is very
aggressive and targets anything it believes is helping the Emergency Government or its
supporters.
The New Angry Brigade is a national organisation and tends to target only military and
government site but does include politicians’ homes. They aim to cause damage to
property and buildings and try to avoid injuring people.
The Police.
Under the emergency regulations, all four county Police forces have been combined
under the command of the Chief Constable of Nottinghamshire. It has been noted that the
Police in Leicestershire and Lincolnshire seem to be less keen in carrying out the orders
of the Government.
Special Branch operations in the region have been centralised and their priorities are now counterterrorism and monitoring (and arresting) subversives. This change of emphasis has
allowed Organised Crime to increase its activity.
Civilian Organisations.
The two most significant civilian groups supporting the Emergency Government are
“Civil Aid” and “England Expects”.
Civil Aid is providing bus drivers, first aiders, engineers and other key workers to keep
things running despite the protest strikes. They also supply drivers for the food and fuel
convoys in the region.
England Expects is a harder-line organisation with a higher proportion of ex-military
members (and wannabes). They do similar work but also have “Action Squads” who have
broken small strikes by breaking heads. They have been accused of beating up anyone
they hear expressing anti- government views. There are a couple of Action Squads which
are fully armed and they are believed to be training more.
The smaller and less, militant unions along with local students, especially at Nottingham
University, are leading civil resistance to the Emergency Government. Strikes,
demonstrations and sit-ins have been held across the East Midlands. Small self-defence
and mutual assistance groups are starting, often amongst ethnic groups who have found
themselves targeted by the right-wing.
Spies and Saboteurs.
MI5 is busy in the area, investigating and dealing with British subversives. They are also
concerned about possible links between the USSR and the union and terrorist opposition.
Rumours say MI5 has much of its local manpower in Lincolnshire trying to prevent arms
shipments arriving on the coast from the continent.
The KGB has operatives in the area and is thought to be building contacts with
anti-government resistance groups. It is thought they may have a sabotage unit ready to
work across the East Midlands.
