Metro 2033: Ascension (Committee)

Committee Blurb
Based on the expansive world painted in Dmitry Glukhovsky’s famous series of the same name; Metro 2033: Ascension takes place 5 years following WWIII and the nuclear attack that sent hundreds of Soviet citizens fleeing into the Moscow metro system. As the guards pulled the doors to the metro shut, the deafening noises from outside the Metro slowly grinded to a halt. Safe from the nuclear warheads and anguished cries of their compatriots, it would seem that for the residents of the Metro, the worst might have come to pass. However, despite the peace secured through their survival, it did not take long for sadness and shock to give way to aggression and violence.

The first few years were headlined by relative peace and prosperity, but it wouldn’t take long for outbursts of violence and rage would cause groups of survivors to engage in conflict against one another. Old foes became older, small gangs became bigger, until factions and conflict were inseparable. Killing and conflict was no longer action spurred by sudden passion or emotion, it became a calculated and systematic affair, where dignity and loyalty cared not for the guilty or innocent. This bloodshed would soon mark the origin of the Metro civil war.

Recognizing the threat that these skirmishes could have on the survival of the Metro; the leadership of numerous independent stations at the northern tip of the Metro banded together to form a consolidated front against the civil war, and to preserve their way of life. They were not the richest, nor the strongest. They did not have vast amounts of territory nor all the pleasures of life. But they would fight to protect what was theirs, for they were the Coalition; the last bastion of humanity in the metro’s darkened corridors.

Background Information
Following the end of WWII, former superpowers America and the Soviet Union (U.S.S.R.) found themselves in a bitter rivalry that would grow in aggression for the next few decades. This “Cold War” eventually escalated into World War III, wherein tensions reached culminated in the launch of nuclear armaments by both governments. This plunged much of the world into a nuclear fallout, destroying cities and decimating much of humanity.

After sounding sirens warning them to find shelter, the hallowed doors to the Metro accepted flows of Soviet citizens into the depths below before sealing the towering metal entrances to the Metro shut. The screams of those on the other end of the door, as well as the whistling of bombs eventually subsided, with the survivors taking refuge throughout the intricate Metro system and attempting to continue their lives. For a while, things went smoothly. Small farms were erected; fungi and plants were harvested, military caches filled with food and supplies were shared. Although extremely simple and eventually contrived, small tribal communities were formed, becoming the basis for present-day Metro communities. Early communities followed a general trend towards technocracy; experts were given leadership roles, though this dynamic slowly shifted as these initial technocrats opted to roles befitting life above ground as opposed to underground. Most stations ultimately transitioned into a form of meritocracy placing great focus on the latent skills of those in charge and how they could use these skills to better develop these communities. Things were not great, but they were far from terrible, and many found comfort in the resilience of humanity in their new unnatural home.

However, it did not take long for their peace to be disrupted. Being trapped in the claustrophobic tunnel system and struggling to attain resources, groups of survivors rallied together to form factions aimed at consolidating territory and power amongst the Metro. Munitions from military bunkers and by soldiers spared their nuclear fate intensified tensions within the Metro… and it did not take long for blood to be spilt on the rails that once carried thousands of people around the city. It should also be noted that numbers of Moscow’s already existing factions found their way underground where they continued the ambitions of their people to the new inhabitants of the Metro.

Topic One: Survival
Survival is not the only concern of the council. Though occupying very little territory at the beginning of the committee, the location of the Coalition puts delegates in a strong position to expand their territory and influence. As mentioned previously, there will be various ways of consolidating this influence, and the manner in which the council aims to pursue this goal will affect later events and outcomes of committee itself.

To survive also means to be able to defend allied stations from other factions, as well as to ensure safety and security within the areas themselves. Proper resource management, security allocation, and trade agreements will be vital to fulfilling this goal. Opting to take a friendlier route and to enter negotiations with other stations and factions will be helpful at maintaining greater survivability through numbers, while ruling with an authoritarian fist.

Topic Two: Expansion/Pacification
Survival is not the only concern of the council. Though occupying very little territory at the beginning of the committee, the location of the Coalition puts delegates in a strong position to expand their territory and influence. As mentioned previously, there will be various ways of consolidating this influence, and the manner in which the council aims to pursue this goal will affect later events and outcomes of committee itself.

Delegates wishing to expand the influence and dominance of the Coalition can opt for a more aggressive form of outreach, pushing forward and recruiting other stations to their side via force and violence. Delegates preferring pacification and relations with other stations achieve this via trade agreements, traditional means of discourse, and diplomacy. Regardless of which path is ultimately taken, delegates will have to exercise caution for their Coalition’s size and reputation as it can attract both the right and wrong sort of attention; and neither path will come without its consequences.

Topic Three: Research and Development
One of the benefits of becoming a coalition is the ability to pool collective resources aside from mere survival. Countless technological breakthroughs became the necessity of life following the arrival of people in the Metro, whether it be transportation, security checkpoints, or even makeshift weaponry that was to be prepared for life underground. Delegates will have the ability to shift some of their resources in researching technology at R&D locations within the Metro to better their existence while living underground.

Research into technologies like munition and armour improvement can give delegates an upper hand when combatting rival factions. Developing stronger trade routes that increase market reach of existing resources will ensure continued prosperity. There is also talk of places of immense wealth in the Metro, untouched by human hands presumably because of the dangerous nature of these areas. Perhaps it is worth looking into these points of interest... at least with proper gear and equipment.