Royal Commerce Organisation

## Lore Overview

The **Royal Commerce Organisation (RCO)** is a mercantile company originating from the United Enclave of British Counties (UEBC). Thought to have originated from the 2050s, it was originally a small naval trading company operating within St. George's Channel, which eventually grew to the English Channel. Overtime, it would grow to encompass international trade as the world entered the Reconstruction Era, most notably in the United States of America and continental Europe. Its main rival remains the Brazilian Republic, challenging its power in the Central and South Atlantic oceans. In Chatham County, the RCO operates out of the port of Whitman Bay and warehouse located on the opposite side of the road.

## History

### The Beginning

Prior to the formation of the UEBC, the survivors within the wasteland were connected through a series of caravan lines stretching throughout the British Isles, many dependent on their goods such as food and water in order to survive the harsh post-apocalyptic atmosphere. One of these caravans was the Royal Commerce Organisation, which at this point was a small naval trading company. By 2058, the RCO was beginning to rise as one of the top merchants in the wasteland, under the direction of Terrence Hanaghan. Eventually, it wasn't long before they were able to expand across their own borders and into the sea, where they would begin to trade with many across the channel in Europe.

### The Monopoly Rises

One of the main goals of the UEBC after its founding was to assist in the rebuilding of Europe in the hopes of uniting the continent as they once were under the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) prior to the Flash. With this goal in mind, the RCO took this opportunity to increase its notoriety and popularity abroad, but most importantly, make some money. Countries such as France and Germany were happy to accept the assistance from the RCO to aid in their rebuilding.

With the newfound fortunes filling their pockets, the RCO began modernizing its fleet of caravans and convoys, the replacement of scrap ships with pre-Flash designed cargo vessels. The newly created partnerships with European governments also allowed the RCO to begin producing their own equipment, bolstering its ability to sell more goods to the market. Furthermore, funds would also be put towards purchasing competing companies to establish itself as the dominant enterprise. With the founding of the UEBC, the RCO became a major player in its politics and was able to attain stable funding from the newly-established government. It was with this funding, alongside monetary gains from trade, which had by this point reached pre-war levels by 2094, that the RCO had began purchasing more advanced equipment, such as the Kingfisher VTOL, a pre-Flash aircraft used by the UK.

### Trade War

By this point, the RCO had expanded into Europe, Africa, and notably the Americas where it would meet its rival, the Brazilian Republic. Being seen as a threat to its national interests, Brazil would set an embargo against the RCO and raid their cargo ships, which hindered trade in the region, along with the newly established People's Republic of Tidewater (PRT). In reaction, the RCO urged the UEBC government to open political relations with the reorganised United States, re-establishing relations with former allies.

As a result, the UEBC found itself working alongside the US in the Atlanta Crisis, protecting RCO trade fleets that helped fund the US in its attempts to reunite its lost territories, as well as hitting back against the embargoes placed upon them by Brazil. By the 2110s, the Partisans were sent into North America for covert operations against the Tidewater Regime, working in tandem with the Reds to attack MEB convoys and disrupt supply lines. The mission of the Partisans in North America, as well as the rest of the world, would later be extended to evading trade barriers erected by political disputes, allowing the RCO to sneak in civilian commodities beyond borders; even where they weren’t meant to.

### List of Equipment of the Royal Commerce Organisation

#### Small Arms

Pistols
 Garotter

Submachine guns

Shotguns

Rifles
 SMLG

Machine guns
 Lanchester
 Unnamed British MG

Sniper Rifles
 Ascension A6

Portable Anti-Materiel Weapons
 Carl Gustaf
 Gaußlast

#### Vehicles

Light Vehicles
 Land Rover Wolf
 SAMIL 20

Armored Vehicles
1x Unnamed Heavy Machine gun
1x Coaxial Lanchester Light Machine gun

Aircraft

## Relations

#### United States of America

The US and the British have had relations since long before the Flash, and even afterwards, the RCO act as the UEBC’s helping hand to the US. The RCO act as both combatant allies and suppliers. Though they started more neutral in the early years, they grew to bring back the great alliance.

#### People's Republic of Tidewater

The PRT and the RCO stand in an awkward position, the MEB blocking the RCO from being a trade ally of the PRT. Though, the RCO get around it by secretly trading commercial goods to the PRT, keeping them at a quiet neutral-friendly stance. Though, if the time had to come, the RCO would go into combat against unsuspecting PRT troops who threaten RCO goods.

#### Brazilian Republic

The RCO and the MEB have a rough history, and are in all senses hostile to each other. The MEB have sunk RCO ships, claimed British territory, and have hired a notorious pirate gang to hinder RCO activity.

#### The Reds

The RCO and Reds had initially been trade partners prior to the Second American Civil War. However, nowadays communication between the two has grown stagnant.