Regroupement des Gévaudan (1983: Doomsday)

The Regroupement des Gévaudan is one of many survivor states in France, and was formed in 1990 to combat the Bandits forming the area

Post Doomsday
After the Doomsday, when France fell, many of the people in the area, fled into the Countryside, fearful that the cities and towns might be targeted by nuclear missiles. With all the chaos, it was inevitable that some would turn to crime. Many of those in the region that turned to crime grouped together, into roving bands of Bandits, not stopped by the former police force, indeed, many of the bandits were the former police force.

Formation
After three or four villages had been raided, the Mayor of Mende approached the other villages and towns, and asked them to from a defensive pact. After having done so, over the oncoming years, the villages and towns grew closer, until eventually, they from the Coalition of Gévaudan, or 'Regroupement des G&eacute;vaudan. This was officially formed in 1990

Recent Years
Recently, the Coalition has been growing in power. Although it is never going to be a power in the same way that most other nations, and indeed, its neighbouring states measure power, it has now wiped out all banditry within its borders. It also has vastly improved its farming technique from its formation, as it took a few years for farmers to adjust to the lower amount of technology.

Politics
Politics are fairly ordinary, with a 3 party system.

Parties
The Left Wing 'Mouvement de la Gauche Radicale-Socialiste', or MGRS, the successor to the original MGRS. It has been in office about 49% of the time

The Right wing 'Rassemblement pour la Regroupement' or RPR is the successor to the Rassemblement pour la République. It has been in office about 50% of the time

The Union minded 'Union parti du Gévaudan', which wants the Regroupement to merge into Auvergne. It has only been in power once, and was the subject to a vote of no confidence within days. Controversy over the votes in the election leading to this election continue to the present day.

Government
The Government is a Democratic Republic, as all governmental positions are voted on by Representatives, who are in turn, voted in by the public. The public votes for Council Members, who appoint other members of the political parties into Ministrial positions, and the Council decides laws. Every settlement of more than 5 houses votes a member of the Council, and the 'big three' that count themselves as cities, have a seat on the Supreme Council, which has the power, to veto one bill per month. It was this peculiarity that stopped the UPG succeeding in sending a message to Auvergne, asking to merge, as the Big Three had the power to stop the majority vote from the Council.

Governing
Being such a small nation, the need for separate, local governing bodies has never come up. All policies come from the Council, or the Ministries. This can cause cases of mismanagement, such as the Javols Incident.

Public Opinion
Overall, the public is fairly politically central, causing neither the left, nor the right wing party to gain any real advantage. It is rare for a party to remain in power more than 1 term, and although it is theoretically possible, has never occured, as most of the population will vote against the current politic party, blaming them for whatever problems they happen to be facing at the time.

Military
The military of the Coalition used to be considered a militia, as the members had other jobs, and little or no training, and before that, they had no Military at all. However, as of 2001, the Militias are now paid, full time Military, and given a proper, 6 month training course. The military numbers around 5000, and have a uniform of hardened leather armour, dyed black, armed with Shotguns and Knives. The higher ranking officers are armed with pistols, and wear the few bullet and stab proof vests from the police stations in the Towns. Designated snipers are armed with hunting rifles, or police rifles, and as they get the best results when dealing with the Bandits.

The Florac Incident
A group of Brigands, hundreds strong, attacked Florac. Although casualties were high for the brigands, it was clear who would win. That is, until the rest of the Coalition came to Florac's aid. Within minutes, hundreds of the brigands lay dead, and the rest surrendered, surrounded by armed villagers as they were. The Council of the Coalition then founded a militia, so that they could fight of future attacks with greater ease. This is widely considered the first military operation, and, is also believed to be the first conflict with the huge band of bandits under the self styled 'bandit king'. This occurred in 1993.

Operation Realm
Operation Realm was the first time the Coalition used its militias to attack. A small Bandit settlement was discovered in a forest, and the militia, poorly trained back then, was sent to attack it, in 'Defense of the Realm'. The poorly trained Militiamen took heavy casualties, but defeated the Bandits. This was the first conflict of 'Operation Realm', and it was already apparent that the training given to the Militia was not nearly enough. Training began properly, and after 3 months, in 1995, the Militias were better trained. Operation Realm continued for the next 6 years, with the Militias tackling larger and large Bandit Settlements. Eventually, a settlement of around 900 bandits was located, in a valley between to mountains. The Militia surrouned the camp, and fired into it during the night. In the morning, the Bandits surrendered. The Bandit in charge told them he was a General of the Bandit King, Enzo Dubois. As a continuation of Operation Realm, the Militia launched an assault on the Main Camp of the Bandits, but were thrown back. It was becoming clear, that the improved training was still not enough to change people into soldiers, if they spent most of their time as a civilian.

Overhaul
When the RPR was voted in, in 2001, they appointed 'Raphaël Moreau' as the new Minister of the Military. He reportedly took one look at the current format, and said 'Non. Cela ne fera jamais', or in english 'No. That will never do'. He authorized the complete overhaul of the Militia system, instead creating a true army, and set the training at 6 months, and gave it the rank system they have today; Private, NCO, Lietenant, Major and General. Majors and Generals count as 'Higher Ranking officers', and all Snipers are given an automatic promotion to the rank of Lietenant, and then a flak jacket from the Military Bases in the area. He also uped the miltary from a mere 900 men to 5000.

Operation: Rats Nest
This was the first test of the Army's mettle. They had to storm the Mountain Stronghold of the Bandit King. Driving modified Civilian Vehicles, and the few Military Vehicles they could find, they launched an assault on the Stronghold, cutting down the exterior guards, then fighting their way through the base. They eventually caught the 'Bandit King', and brought him back to Mende, where he was tried for mass murder, theft, breaking and entering, rape, and Treason. He was executed by shooting.

Military Hardware
Ammunition for the Militia, and then the Military, originally was that which they could scavenge. Now however, that has run out, and they have resorted to melting down the metal from cars, and disused buildings, and wherever they can, and crafting it into bullets for the guns. They have also established trade with larger nations, and in the early days of this contact, they traded food for large quantities of scrap and gun propellant. With these, they have enough bullets to last until 2020. Guns however, they have an abundance of. The 5000 they use, came exclusively from the towns and villages within the coalition, be it a farmer's shotgun, or a hunter's rifle, or one of the many guns stored in the police stations. They also have, locked away in the armoury, a vault full of roughly 10,000 guns, taken from the bandits they engaged during Operations Realm and Rats Nest.

Normal Life
The majority of the citizens of the coalition live simple lives, fishing in the rivers, hunting for meat in the National Park, doing simple crafts like smithing, or tending to the cattle. The coalition has also bred sheep, and goats. Around 15% of the populace are in the military.

Crops
For around 15 years after the doomsday, the crops failed, 2/3 of the time. Then, one farmer realized that he, and all his fellow farmers, had been trying to get the same results as with Fertilizers, but without fertilizers.

An academic, who had studied history in Paris, informed the Farming Community that they needed to return to the old method of farming, the 3 field rotation, in which you plant a Grain crop in 1 field, Potatoes or another root vegetable in the second, and leave the third fallow, or, better still, allowing livestock to feed on it. Then, the next year, you move the livestock to the second field, plant grain in the third field, and potatoes in the first, and continue that sequence.

Many farmers own vineyards, from which they grow Grapes, and make wine. This wine is traded with our neighbouring nations.

Livestock
The Livestock is allowed to feed in the fallow fields, and also have designated fields. They are used for meat and leather. Horses are used for Meat, Leather and riding. Sheep and Goats are used for Wool and Milk, with the males are slaughtered for meat, with 1 or 2 left alive per herd to breed.

Hunting
Many people, who don't have the patience, or the land to farm, instead go into the national park, in which they hunt Boar, and various other animals. Due to the army taking all hunting guns, they have been forced to adapt. Many hunt with longbows, or crossbows. Many more hunt with snares. People also 'hunt' by going into barns, and catching rats. Due to the depredations of many families children, and many a starving man or woman, the rat population of the Coalition is far lower than it was as a part of France, and is in fact nearing zero.

Economy
The economy of the Coalition is based on coins made of kiln hardened clay, imprinted with the Gévaudan coat of arms. The reason for this is that the Franc lost all value. Francs were collected in by the Council, and the paper money was repulped and made into paper, and the metal was melted down for bullets and arrowheads. The clay money is notoriously fragile, and a move to plastic is expected. The reason for the Coat of Arms being on it is because of a fraud who bought several valuable bows from a man, who then discovered he had given away his stock for just a few clay discs. The fraud was taken to court, and charged several thousand Regroupement Francs.

Climate
The difference in temperature was very little, although they experienced more rainfall, which was great for the farms, and was the main reason they got any crops at all in the early years.

Trade
Trade links have been established with many of the small towns and villages in the area, and they are slowly being intergrated into the Coalition. They have also made contact with Auvergne, Andorra and Monaco.