Environment

The Environment describes the terrain features, landscape, climate, and weather that is affecting an Engagement, while these Rules are intended to provide a more varied landscape of play it is not always to a Players taste to use such rules, in this case the Engagement can be considered to be in 'Fair' Weather During the 'Day', and in 'Open Road Desert' as listed below, otherwise the Players can Choose or roll randomly to determine the Terrain and Conditions on the Field of play.

## Terrain and Landscape

There are numerous types of Terrain and Landscapes that dominate the Dark Future, each has its own natural qualities and Hazards, and each can potentially be a NoGo or PZ area which will affect the Landscape.

 3,4
 5
 6

If you wish to determine the Terrain randomly for a One Off Game then you can roll a D6 against the Chart and determine the Landscape of the Game, this will mainly affect the nature of Hazards for such games, if you are playing a Campaign Game then the location of the Engagement should tell you what Landscape you will see.

Once you have determined the Landscape type you can roll randomly to determine if it is a PZ or NoGo area (you can go 50/50 on the dice but its much more likely to be NoGo than PZ), or if you are playing a Campaign Game the location of the engagement should determine the Territory Control.

### **Desert**

Much of the Central States and the West Coast of the US are now consumed under the Sands of the Deserts that are steadily spreading through the US, this makes the Desert Terrain a very common backdrop for Battles, but the Desert is far from empty, Highways and old roads crisscross the landscape, often covered by sand so much as to obscure them, while derelict towns and cities dot the desert like great tombs of Civilizations, ancient Dried rivers and lakes create Quicksand and sink holes across the desert, and highly Toxic areas hum with Radiation or Chemical Waste.

The Wind also moves the Sand around frequently and can result in Sand Bars crossing roads or enveloping structures in a cloak of coarse sand. All Deserts have an increased chance of generating Sand Bars On The Road, while Off Road there will be rises and dunes of sand that obscure the secrets of the desert.

#### **PZ Desert**

Many PZ Territories have large tracts of Desert in them, despite this large vehicles are employed to keep the Roads relatively clear of Hazards so that Cargo can be moved along the Highway, but smaller roads may be laden with debris in these areas, unless you are in the City in which case the roads will be clear of Debris but will likely be patrolled by PZ Enforcers.

The Type of Hazard Markers used on PZ Desert Regions can be generated using the Chart on the left, Each Track Section has a 1 in 6 chance of having a Hazard on it in a PZ Desert area (Roll a D6 for each Track Section, on a 6 there is a Hazard), if the conflict is being fought on the open road then roll a D6, if it is in the City roll a D6 and add +2.

#### **NoGo Desert**

Much of the NoGo is desert and the wind fiercely sweeps the sand over everything on the land, while some of the major Highways are kept as clear as possible for Cargo Trucks and their convoys to get from PZ to PZ, but much of the roads and landscape are swept with Sand and long abandoned structures.

The type of Hazard Markers present will depend on if the conflict is occurring in the open desert or on the Highway, Each Track Section has a 2 in 6 chance of having a Hazard on it in a NoGo Desert area (Roll a D6 for each Track Section, on a 5 or 6 there is a Hazard), if it is taking place on the open road then roll a D6 and consult the chart, if it is happening on the Highway then add +2 to the roll.

### **Arid**

Much of the Land bordering the Desert is now extremely arid and little will grow on the increasingly dry baked soil that covers these areas, only the hardiest of plants can be found and even they are sparse and make very bitter meals. Despite the harsh conditions in these places there are far more NoGo Settlements and PZ Cities still clinging to life in these places making lived in structures more common on the road.

Depending on the controlling force of the Arid region there can be some variation in what can be found along the road of these regions.

#### **PZ Arid**

Many PZ Territories have large Arid regions within their fences, these places are usually dotted with slums and industrial centers that churn out people and goods too fast to support them, Conflicts in these places will typically occur on the Highway but they can also take place in the City.

If the Engagement is occurring on the Highway, each Track Section has a 1 in 6 chance of having a Hazard on it in a PZ Arid area (Roll a D6 for each Track Section, on a 6 there is a Hazard) roll a D6 and Consult the Chart to determine what sort of Hazard is present.

If the Engagement is happening in the City, each Track Section has a 2 in 6 chance of having a Hazard on it in a PZ City area (Roll a D6 for each Track Section, on a 5 or 6 there is a Hazard), if there is a Hazard roll a D6 and add +2 to determine what type of Hazard is present.

#### **NoGo Arid**

There are many Arid regions in the NoGo and most of them are desperately fought over for what little resources that can be found in them, Cities of Cardboard boxes and Wrecked cars scattered around the few building that are still intact enough to be lived in, while the Highways are maintained they still suffer from the odd settlement scattered along them, while the Open Road is littered with Gangs and Settlements trying to scrape out a living.

Highways in the NoGo Arid areas of the Us are kept as clean as possible but each Track Section has a 1 in 6 chance of having a Hazard on it (Roll a D6 for each Track Section, on a 6 there is a Hazard), roll a D6 and consult the Chart to determine what sort of Hazard is present on the Track Section.

The Open Road is much more treacherous and while there are fewer Debris piles and the sand doesn't spread here there is a reason why, each Track Section has a 2 in 6 chance of having a Hazard on it (Roll a D6 for each Track Section, on a 5 or 6 there is a Hazard), Roll a D6 and add +2 to determine what sort of Hazard is present.

### **Humid**

Increasing temperatures have made the northern regions of the US and much of Canada to become very Humid, these places are far from lifeless as some plants continue to grow, though largely these remain weeds, some regions are turned over to farms where some vegetables and cattle can still live, here the roads are maintained a little better than in the dryer regions of the world.

Conflicts in Humid regions will tend to occur on the Highway surrounded by Wilderness, but some will be flanked by failing and struggling crop fields.

#### **PZ Humid**

Many PZ Territories now covet what little Humid regions remain, these places can still produce food and vast Vapor Farms gather water from the Humid air and pipe it into the Cities, while wilderness regions in the PZ Territories are fast diminishing as more and more is turned over to farming what little will grow in these places.

The Farms that fill these areas are valuable and many Cargo Trucks use the roads, each Track Section has a 1 in 6 chance of having a Hazard on it (Roll a D6 for each Track Section, on a 6 there is a Hazard), Roll a D6 and add +2 to determine what sort of Hazard is present.

In the Wilderness there is not much in the way of road cleaning so each Track Section has a 2 in 6 chance of having a Hazard on it (Roll a D6 for each Track Section, on a 5 or 6 there is a Hazard), Roll a D6 to determine what sort of Hazard is present.

#### **NoGo Humid**

There is a considerable region of NoGo Humid places in the north of the US and most of Canada, these places are filled with Settlements of NoGo Settlers trying to eek out a living, while other regions are heavily overgrown with weeds and wild animals, making most of these places quite dangerous to the uninitiated.

Settlement regions of the NoGo Humid areas of the world are scavenged frequently and as sucheach Track Section has a 1 in 6 chance of having a Hazard on it (Roll a D6 for each Track Section, on a 6 there is a Hazard), Roll a D6 and add +2 to determine what sort of Hazard is present.

The Wilderness regions of the NoGo Humid lands are littered with Debris and dangers, each Track Section has a 2 in 6 chance of having a Hazard on it (Roll a D6 for each Track Section, on a 5 or 6 there is a Hazard), Roll a D6 to determine what sort of Hazard is present.

### **Temperate**

There are very few Temperate regions left in the World and even fewer in NoGo regions, what does remain is fiercely contested by the PZ and NoGo Forces that desperately try to keep hold of these dwindling regions, these places can still support trees and other foliage, but most of the land is turned over to farming rather than preservation of the wilderness.

Most conflicts in Temperate Climates are in PZ Cities or NoGo Settlements, but some are in places where vast tracks of farmland dominate the landscape or dense forest surrounds the road.

#### **PZ Temperate**

Most of the Temperate PZ Regions are tightly controlled by Enforcers, but massive populations of Citizens live here and many live in little more than Cardboard boxes and overturned crates, making the outskirts of the Cities into vast Slums filled with desperate and dangerous people.

Temperate Cities are well maintained but with the dense populations and high crime rate there is often fresh Hazards on the road, each Track Section has a 1 in 6 chance of having a Hazard on it (Roll a D6 for each Track Section, on a 6 there is a Hazard), Roll a D6 and add +2 to determine what sort of Hazard is present.

Outside the Cities is mostly Farmland or Forest and while they are maintained they still get littered with Debris, each Track Section has a 2 in 6 chance of having a Hazard on it (Roll a D6 for each Track Section, on a 5 or 6 there is a Hazard), Roll a D6 to determine what sort of Hazard is present.

#### **NoGo Temperate**

The dense wilderness and NoGo Settlements clamor around the Temperate areas of the US, most of the landscape is covered by undergrowth and wild animals that hunt, live, and feed in these places, while NoGo Settlements build up around the dwindling clean water sources in these places.

The NoGo Settlements around Temperate Zones scavenge the Roads frequently, each Track Section has a 1 in 6 chance of having a Hazard on it (Roll a D6 for each Track Section, on a 6 there is a Hazard), Roll a D6 and add +2 to determine what sort of Hazard is present.

Out in the Wilderness the road is strewn with frequent Debris and Obstacles as such each Track Section has a 2 in 6 chance of having a Hazard on it (Roll a D6 for each Track Section, on a 5 or 6 there is a Hazard), Roll a D6 to determine what sort of Hazard is present.

## Weather and Environment

Despite the higher temperatures and spreading deserts the US does experience varying Weather Conditions and environmental effects, depending on what sort of region an Engagement is played in there can be significant weather differences, The Desert does not see any real rainfall but it does suffer from frequent Sand Storms, Radiation Hot Spots, and other Hazards, while the warm Temperate regions still get rainfall and even Snow in the coldest parts of the year.

### Deserts

The Desert is hot and dry with little chance of rain, here the dangers of severe weather conditions are extreme, When an Engagement begins you can roll a D6 to determine the conditions on the road, depending on the result of the roll there can be anything from fair weather to severe conditions.

Conditions are generally better in the few remaining PZ Desert regions with competitively mild conditions, while the NoGo is much harsher with much more severe weather conditions and environmental effects, and as a result all Weather rolls in the NoGo Should add +2 to the result. Whatever the result these conditions persist until the end of the Engagement.

### Arid

The ever growing Arid regions of the US are increasingly hot and dry, but their conditions have not yet grown as severe as those in the Desert, When an Engagement begins roll a D6 and consult the Chart to determine what if any Weather Conditions are prevalent in the area, this can easily be a regular hot day or in the NoGo there could be sand storms and toxic clouds.

Areas of Arid land in the PZ are generally not as bad as the NoGo yet, the NoGo is increasingly harsh and unforgiving, this causes any Weather rolls in Arid NoGo areas to have a +2 modifier to the roll, this means that the conditions in the NoGo are increasingly harsh.

### Humid

Large regions of Canada and much of the northern parts of the US are now hot and Humid, regions like this generally have milder weather, but harsh conditions are increasingly common each year, In regions like this roll a D6 and add modifiers for the region as dictated below.

The PZ Humid regions are largely converted to grow hardy crops and while the rain is uncommon it does come, while the NoGo is growing increasingly Harsh and suffers from more extreme weather, with little if any rain falling now, NoGo Humid Areas have a +2 Modifier to their Weather rolls, resulting in more severe conditions on the road.

### Temperate

The few remaining Temperate regions are gradually dwindling away as the weather grows increasingly harsh, but there are far fewer severe weather conditions in the Temperate regions than the most part of the US.

There are few differences in the PZ and NoGo Temperate regions, as such both roll a D6 without any modifiers to determine the current weather conditions, these conditions remain for the entire Engagement.

## Day and Night

Not all Engagements will happen during the middle of the day as the cover of night can be of great benefit for Raids and the like, in a Campaign Game when a Force declares an Engagement they can choose what time of day they wish to make the attack, in One Off Games you can roll a D6 and consult the chart to determine what time of day the Engagement takes place.

Engagements may be affected by the time of day as the sun grows bright or sets the Environment can be affected in various ways, Mornings are typically cool and bright enough for Characters to see easily, Day is much hotter and brighter, Evening is generally warm and often sweaty (In Humid or Temperate areas), and the Nights are typically very cold (Especially in the Deserts and Arid areas) and dark.

## See Also

Main Rules

Track Sections

PZ

NoGo

Index