'The Vultures'

== 'The Vultures' ==
'The Vultures' is the name given to a specialist unit of the United Commonwealth who is tasked with scavenging the uninhabitable parts of America, as well as any other abandoned areas. They have been deployed all along the Western seaboard and parts of Western Canada, interacting with local groups very frequently, sometimes engaging in hostilities with them.
=== History ===
==== Foundations ====
The Vultures found their beginnings with the United Commonwealth, where in the 1990s Commonwealth militias would begin donning protective gear and going into previously dangerous areas to rummage for surviving provisions. They began searching through the communities outside of Portland following the conquest, succeeding in gaining many stores of rations. However following the capture of Portland, the Vultures set their eyes upon their largest target, the Umatilla Army Depot.
==== The Umatilla Raid ====
On March 1st 1998 the Vultures began their expedition to Umatilla, a 3 days walk from Portland. The force numbering around 250 men marched out from Portland with enough supplies to last a week and a half, just in case they had to immediately turn back from the depot. They believed Umatilla to be largely in tact due to the small size of the camp, leading them to believe the Soviets were unlikely to have bothered bombing the camp. The force marched slowly down the ruined highways and roads, stopping along the way to investigate crashed trucks for supplies. 
Near Rowena, along the Columbia River, the Vultures encountered a large militia group who had set up a checkpoint along the highway. They confronted the Vultures' forward recon units, demanding they turn over their rations and ammunition. As the remainder of the Vulture force arrived, the militia quickly laid down their arms, realizing their inability to confront the superior force. The Vultures ordered the militia to hand over their arms and march West towards Portland. Some of the militiamen resisted, attempting to regain their arms from the Vultures and likely wanting to flee, resulting in the Vultures executing all those who resisted.
The Vultures reached Umatilla on the 4th of March, finding it to be in a state of disrepair. After making contact with local survivors they discovered that Umatilla had been left with a miniscule force for defense, who had more than likely abandoned the base. They easily made it past the worn fences and into the base proper, finding a treasure trove of underground supply depots. More than a thousand munition bunkers were present at the base, carrying as many as 20,000 bombs, upwards of 300 chemical weapons and small arms and their ammunition. The Vultures were delighted at their discovery, but soon realized there was no easy way to bring a majority of these supplies back to Portland. The Vultures contacted the General by radio, informing him of their discovery. 
On March 5th the Vultures began their march back with thousands of arms and around about a hundred thousand rounds of ammunition. They left behind the bombs and chemical weapons, despite wanting to bring them for the national arsenal, they lacked the methods to deploy chemical weapons reliably. On the march back, about a hundred guns had to be abandoned due to exhaustion, as well as 50,000 rounds of ammunition. Nevertheless, the Vultures reached Portland with their stockpile by March 9th, informing the Commonwealth leadership of the additional supplies housed at Umatilla that could still be recovered. 
When the Idaho Panhandle was incorporated into the United Commonwealth, the Umatilla Army Depot was seized by the Commonwealth's Rangers, at which point the sarin gas artillery shells were seized and would eventually be used against the Montana Chapter.
=== Armament ===
The Vultures are famous for their unconventional armament, largely consisting of homemade of unique weaponry and uniforms. Members of the Vultures began wearing hand crafted steel armor plates across their Commonwealth uniform, typically a large airborne style trench coat. They also frequently wear protective gear such as dust masks, rubber gloves and in extreme cases gas masks. 
The unit also became infamous for their unconventional weaponry, some of which was modified or built by the men. The members of the unit have a practice of crafting their own trench club style melee weapons made from wood and adornments ranging from barbed wire to rusted nails. Their firearms often feature homemade foregrips and even sights, as well as two magazines taped together, a common practice of guerilla fighters. Men also made heavy use of weapons such as axes, machetes, and even hand crafted swords.