Old London

Old London is a faction in the novel; *Cataclysm: Definitive Edition* (and the original), sometimes referred to as the Crater, because Central London had become a vast crater, or the Remnant, in reference to them being the remnants of the old government. Old London is a distant antagonistic faction that is after one of the main protagonists; Robert Charlton, for a mutiny and the murder of the commanding officer; Daniel Clifton, Robert's adoptive father.

## Background:

After the cataclysmic event that almost destroyed the earth, the British Government remained hidden in underground bunkers. Once they emerged in 2037, one year after the asteroid had hit the earth, the politicians and important figures of society saw a radical change in the landscape, and most importantly, the people of Great Britain and Ireland.

The British Government re-branded themselves the Republic of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and became a Republic with the death of the entire British Royal Family died in 2036 from the cataclysmic event. In 2039 after mass opposition from the majority of Britain, Old London reformed the British Army to forcibly conquer what they was as "*rebel states*" who would destroy the Republic's dream of a reunited Great Britain, with secret ambitions to conquer all of Ireland and surrounding islands also. Old London controls an unknown portion in Northern Ireland, most likely Dublin. The Crater also controls an unknown portion of Scotland, most likely Edinburgh.

## Society:

There is a clear divide between the lower and higher class within the Remnant's territories. Tax has returned to how it was before pre-cataclysmic event and those who cannot find work within allocated times are stripped of their citizenship and shipped to France.

Once "*rebel territories*" are taken back by the British Government the residents of these territories must earn back their British citizenship by working on government controlled lands, gaining 20% of their wages while the remaining 80% went on re-purchasing their citizenship. Most these people who are forced, or willingly, work to regain citizenship toil in slate mines, coal mines, coastal fisheries or join an auxiliary force that is unique within the British Army. However being in the auxiliaries is highly dangerous as these men and women are sent to the front lines and often die bloody deaths from battles and obvious ambushes that the regular army was too valuable to lose in.

Still dealing with the Great British Pounds money system has made it easy to budget and continue their militaristic and production ventures. However due to the poor treatment of the lower class and the constant expansions of their borders, Old London has had to deal with many peasant uprisings and terrorist attacks from usurpers.

## Structure:

The structure of Old London and the territories they control are ran the same as the British Government had ran them before the cataclysmic event in 2036. Only differences being that due to the death of the entire British Royal Family, the United Kingdom became the Republic of Great Britain and Ireland, before being taken over in a military coup and becoming the Military State of Great Britain and Ireland.

Only commissioned officers who have been in the military can run for Prime Minister. Political parties are centered more so around the differing military branches of the British Army than social classes.

There is some prejudice against minorities and women due to all minorities having to earn their citizenship's back after the military coup, that a minority's vote is half a native white man's vote and that women can no longer vote due to the step back in the structure of the world.

Albeit, even with the institutional sexism and racism, many minority and women icons and representatives have risen above the hatred and become much beloved figures amongst the Old London territories populace.

## Named Regions, Cities & Towns:

Below are the regions, cities and towns under the control of Old London throughout the novel; Cataclysm: Definitive Edition.

* Old London (Capital)
* Hell's Passage (Majority Control)
* Camp Blackwood (Destroyed)
* New Calais (French Outpost)
* Hampton (Once Pirate Infested)
* Southwick (Within Old London)
* The Crater (Within Old London)

## Named Members:

* Sergeant Daniel Clifton (Deceased)
* Henry Montgomery (Deceased)
* Private Luke Graham (Deceased)
* General Victor Wolfe (Deceased)
* Prime Minister Erich Godwinson

## Military:

### **Establishment:**

The continuation of the British Army happened in 2039 due to the British Government in Old London desiring to reunite the now fractured British Isles.

In 2052 there was a military coup and the democratic government that was in control was overthrown with a new semi-authoritarian, semi-democratic government led by the military with the promise in their first act that they would return to fully democracy once the British Isles were united once more, until then Old London and the rest of Britain under the British Government's control would remain a Military State. This was the transition from the Sovereign Nation of Great Britain to the Military State of Great Britain.

### **Description:**

The British Army has remained the same since 2036, having stagnated and been unable to gain the mass resources required to advance.

The British Army is by far the most numerous and powerful military on the British Isles and maybe even mainland Europe. However due to their militaristic expansions, their resources are spread thin and the British Government is fighting conflicts in France, Cornwall, North Wales, the Midlands, the North-West and the North-East.

### **Organisation:**

The British Army's organisation has no changed since 2036, except only those who have served in the military as commissioned officers can run for the role of Prime Minister.

### **Equipment:**

The British Military has the largest stockpile of weapons in the whole of the British Isles, weapons the British Army can be seen using include;

* SA80a3 Assault Rifle
* SA80a2 Assault Rifle
* Tactical Combat Knife
* Remington 870 Shotgun
* Glock-17 Handgun
* Glock-18 Handgun
* Browning Hi-Power 9mm Handgun
* E-Tool Shovel
* MP5 Sub-Machine Gun
* C8 Carbine Assault Rifle
* UCIW Assault Rifle
* M16 Assault Rifle
* HK G3 Battle Rifle
* HK33 / 53 Battle Rifle
* HK G36 Assault Rifle
* MAC-10 Sub-Machine Gun
* Sig Sauer P226 Handgun
* Welrod Silenced Handgun
* HK417 Sniper Rifle
* L96A1 Sniper Rifle
* AW .50 Cal Sniper Rifle
* Arwen 37 Tear Gas Launcher
* M72 LAW Anti-Tank Rocket Launcher
* MK19 40mm Grenade Launcher
* Stinger Missile Launcher
* MC51 Suppressed
* L34A1 Sterling Sub-Machine Gun
* Silent Sten Gun
* 303. Lee-Enfield Rifle Bolt-Action Rifle
* HK911 Handgun
* Diemaco C7 Assault Rifle
* L128A1 Combat Shotgun
* Minimi Light Machine Gun
* Bren Sub-Machine Gun
* L7A2 GPMG
* L1A1 Heavy Machine Gun
* L129A1 Sharpshooter Semi-Automatic Rifle
* L115A3 Long Range Rifle
* L82A1 Anti-Material Rifle
* Grenade Machine Gun
* M134 Minigun
* LASM Anti-Structure Rocket Launcher
* ILAW Anti-Tank Rocket Launcher
* LAW 80 Anti-Tank Rocket Launcher
* Javelin Anti-Tank Missile Launcher
* Milan Anti-Tank Missile Launcher
* Starstreak HVM Missile Launcher
* L16 81mm Mortar
* L9A1 51mm Mortar
* L109A1 H.E. Fragmentation Grenade
* Machete

## Relationships:

* Democratic Trade Union = A tolerated trade agreement is in place, once enemies now mutual.
* Arch-Tiberius's Horde = Neutral.
* Night Snakes = Enemies.
* Roadside Trappers = No contact, mutual.
* Clan Claw = No contact, mutual.
* Skin-Crawlers = Enemies due to Wolfe's Company.
* Independent Towns & Territories = Some neutral, others enemies.
* McLevar Caravan Guard = Good terms, working agreements negotiated over time.
* Red Valley Tribes = No contact, mutual.
* North Welsh Tribes = Enemies.
* Utopia = No contact, mutual.
* Clan Scouser = No contact, mutual.
* The Pool Crew = No contact, mutual.

## Technology:

Old London has access to a majority of the most expensive military equipment, having hidden them away before the cataclysmic event. The Crater has access to ballistic missiles and even a nuclear weapons however they will not uses these weapons on British soil and are reserving them for external threats.

Civilian technology is top quality and they have access to the best equipment when it comes to agriculture and construction. Civilians also have the ability to drive, something that is unique to only Old London territories, and have complete formal education and religious freedom.

Technology that had not been used in centuries for slate and coal mining was placed back into production as the government re-opened the mines to collect the necessary resources they required.

## Currency:

The British Government still have the Great British Pounds and Pennies system in place. Although having re-constructed their printing factories they have began to phase out the older pounds and pennies that depicted royalty and have began to produce coins that have military leaders upon them, due to Britain no longer having a Monarchy.

## Appearances:

The Remnant appear in the novel; *Cataclysm: Definitive Edition* (and the original) as solely antagonists at the beginning of the novel, after the initial part of the story, the faction is not seen again.

## Trivia:

* The clothing and attitudes of the Crater representatives seen at the beginning of the novel are modeled after Mister Burke, a character from the video game *Fallout 3*.
* The privates who assist Henry Montgomery at the beginning of the novel were personalised after stories of southern British soldiers told to Darryl M. Finch-Ellis by one of his grandfathers.
* The British Government of the novel was inspired by the British Government in the B.B.C. film *Threads*.
* Old London is the largest faction mentioned and encountered in the novel.
* Old London is the only known faction within the novel that has come into contact with another country, in this case France, where the Remnant have an outpost named New Calais.