Lehighton (1983: Doomsday)

Lehighton is a semi-recognized independent nation between the Commonwealth of Susquehanna and Reading. The nation was formed in the late 1990's after the infighting between various gangs died down.

Post-Doomsday
Immediately after Doomsday, the various gangs that survived the blasts on Scranton and Wilkes-Barre formed a truce to take Hazleton, and, using the panic from the refugees fleeing south away from the ruins of the cities, the gangs took over.

Government
Leighton is a dictatorship ruled by a collection of gangs who agreed to work together and put aside animosities after fighting for over a decade. There is a board of the leaders of each gang with a supreme leader who rules them all. Each gang has a particular piece of territory that was allotted to them by the chief and agreements after the turmoil ended.

The territory allotted to each gang is under that particular gang's rules, taxes, and other demands by the leaders with some minor oversight by the supreme leader.

Only gang members are allowed to participate in the rudimentary form of government, as they are the only citizens of the nation. Anyone who had refused to join the gangs have been sent to the serf class, where they serve the gangs by producing food, making clothes, and other basic human needs as well as serving as servants in the gang members households.

Gangs
There are several gangs that have formed a semi-permanent alliance. Most are descendant of gangs from Philadelphia, Scranton, and Wilkes-Barre as well as some surviving members from the Allentown Mob who moved there after Reading took the city. It is an assortment of various gangs and mobs, with different ethnicities. The largest and most powerful group is the Bufalino Mafia, being reformed by survivors from the blast in Wilkes-Barre and Scranton. The Irish Mob came from Allentown and Scranton. The Crips and

Bloods
The Bloods are one of the gangs which occupies the Leighton area. They are direct descendants of the Bloods from Wilkes-Barre, Scranton, New York City, and Philadelphia. Much of their membership was poor, thus they lived towards the suburbs and slums of the targeted cities, giving them an edge to escape. Most fled to Allentown and took the city from the police and local government, while others went and roamed as bandits and raiders attacking for what they needed. By the early 1990's, the gang decided to settle down and collaborated with the Bufalino Mafia to take Leighton for themselves. There are approximately 600 members in the Bloods.

They have an uneasy peace with the Crips to unify against Susquehanna and Reading for the future.

Bufalino Mafia
The Bufalino Mafia is the largest and most powerful crime organization in Leighton. They took over the borough in the late 1980's after being expelled from Hazleton by a combination of law enforcement, military survivors and local civilians. The family took over Leighton through force and bribery. The former chief of Leighton Police is a leading member of the group, and they managed to seize the borough with little violence. They have a membership of approximately 2000.

Crips
The Crips are an African American gang which had a presence in the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton area as a transit point between New York City and Philadelphia. Like the Bloods, members lived in the rougher neighborhoods in the outskirts of the cities and managed to escape the destruction of their cities. Some went to Hazleton where they were later forced out. Others allied with the Bufalino Mafia and once leaving the city they helped take Leighton. Still others fled to Allentown where they were later forced to flee when Reading took the city. There are approximately 500 members in the Crips.

Since Doomsday they have made peace over their rivalry with the Bloods and have an uneasy truce for the foreseeable future against Susquehanna and Reading.

Irish Mob
The Irish Mob is made up of survivors from the Philadelphia and Scranton regions who migrated to the area escaping from the radiation in the areas of the ruined cities. They have a strong alliance with the Bufalino Mafia and the Philadelphia Crime Family. They were reformed in the late 1990's by former members who wanted a gang to represent the Irish in the new nation. There are approximately 800 members in this mob.

Lucchese Crime Family
The Lucchese Crime Family is the smallest gang in the nation, being formed from the few survivors who crossed the border from northern New Jersey and managed to reform in Allentown before moving on to Leighton after incentives from the Bufalino Mafia to move. There are only 300 members in this gang, mainly made up of survivors from New Jersey and recruits from Allentown.

Philadelphia Crime Family
The Philadelphia Crime Family is the second largest gang in the former nation made up of the survivors from the city and the Italian organized crime in Allentown. They were the second crime family to move into the area due to an agreement with the Bufalino Mafia who had taken the city in the early 1990's. There are approximately 1500 members in this gang.

Law and Order
Ironically, the nation is fairly stable due to strong laws and rules regulating the various members behaviors. There is a tribunal to solve any disputes between gangs.