Time line for Car Wars 2000 – 2073
It’s a rough world…and “Drive Offensively” is its motto.
*PLEASE NOTE* This supplemental information was written for Car Wars 1st – 4th Edition rules and game play. It is compatible with Car Wars 6th Edition by adding 35 years to the future history
Also please note that campaigns within Iowa can be set at any point on the timeline. Do you want to try and crash the border while the Amanites are still in power? Set your campaign prior to 2039. If you want to legally duel in Iowa you’ll need to set your campaign post 2040
*End Notes*
2000 After the Federal government nationalizes the dwindling oil and natural gas supplies, ethanol production expands. Being the nation’s largest supplier of corn, Iowa’s economy gets a significant boost.
Second Civil War, Free Oil State Secession
2004 Texarkana Accords
2012 The Grain Blight hits Iowa hard. Though soybeans are still a common crop, the “tall corn state” is no more. All sections of the economy (cereal manufacturing in Cedar Rapids, ethanol distilleries across the state, and the manufacture of corn harvesting farm equipment) linked to corn-production take a severe hit. Many family farms go under losing more than one year’s income to loss of the crop. Cattle and hog production take a severe hit as well as 20% of the State’s corn crop is used annually for silage and animal feed. The Iowa population, dropping steadily for over fifty years, dives to 40% of the 2000 population. Most small towns disappear as poverty stricken farmers and the townies head to the smaller cities and county seats for protection. All three of the major (UofI, ISU, and UNI) universities have a large anti-Blight research section in the existing Agriculture departments.
2013 What farmers are left begin to rotate soybeans and clover. Cattle farming (and other livestock), which was hit by the grain blight, stabilizes. Many of the remaining small towns form militias to protect what farms are left in light of growing gang related raids on outlying farms
2014 The Amana Society, already reclusive and secluded and generally unaffected by the troubles affecting the rest of the state and country, decides to take a more active role in the state government. Eschewing most modern technology and living frugally off the land, most Amanites view their life-style as a solution to Iowa’s problems. Six Amanite candidates are elected to the state legislature that same year, campaigning with a platform of “Rebuilding Iowa.”
2015 Amanite policies are mildly successful in turning the Iowa economy around as food production resumes and is not as dependent of fossil fuels. A few small towns are reincorporated under Amanite leadership. More Amanite candidates are set to run in 2016. Cattle production and hog production begin to see a slight rise in production. However the food distribution network is still in shambles. Most of the produced food is hoarded by the farmers and their local militia. Iowa’s larger cities have trouble feeding their remaining citizens.
2016 The Food Riots. Riverfest ’16 in Iowa City erupts in a civil disturbance. The Iowa National Guard is called in to help, but arrives too late to prevent the complete destruction of the old Capitol Building on the University of Iowa campus.
In Ames where Viesha was also underway, the violence escalates to the point of including the local citizenry, hundreds are killed or hurt. Ames is leveled, but the campus of ISU is preserved.
In response to the riots at the two largest colleges in Iowa, the board of regents of the University of Northern Iowa, votes to ignore the state ban on vehicular weaponry. They heavily arm campus security and begin the fortification of the campus in Cedar Falls. Hearing of the success at UNI, the University of Iowa (Iowa City) and Iowa State University (Ames) begin fortification as well. By the end of the year all three campuses are heavily fortified and campus security for each become the second, third and fourth largest armed militias (just behind the Iowa National Guard) in the state. Since the cities themselves are unfortified, Waterloo/Cedar Falls, Ames and Iowa City (locations of UNI, ISU, U of I) become havens for gangs to prey upon the remaining citizenry and nearby family farms. Civilians outside the walls clamor at the gates and entry points of each, to be included and protected from the roaming gangs. Isu, Uni, & Fort Iowa are the fortress cities eventually built out of Ames, Cedar Falls, and Iowa City.
Cedar Rapids, Des Moines, Davenport, Bettendorf, Council Bluffs, Dubuque, Souix City, and Mason City all need to quell uprisings of hungry citizens
2017 Already a problem prior to the Grain Blight and Food Riots, Waterloo’s gangs organize and begin conducting raids in the city, and suburbs. Able to use the natural barrier of the Cedar River many of Waterloo’s gangs base out of the East side. Waterloo becomes a war zone as citizens flee to neighboring Cedar Falls.
Grain companies take over the many abandoned small farms. Weapons are
installed on tractors to defend against gang attacks.
Independent farms begin arming tractors as well, though they do not have the same resources to draw on. Independent farms band together in defensive co-operatives.
The cities of Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, & Dubuque fortify themselves against gang activity abandoning large sections of the urban areas, the remain citizens flock to protect the food production facilities in those cities. The remaining citizens of smaller cities and towns band together for self preservation, offering their services to the protection of area farmers.
Hearing of the desolation in Ames and Iowa City and seeing firsthand the desolation of Waterloo, citizens of Cedar Falls beg the University of Northern Iowa to expand the fortifications to include the remainder of the city. Uni, Iowa becomes a fortified city.
Seeing the success of Uni, the remaining citizens of Ames petition ISU for similar treatment, Isu (Ames) is incorporated. Fort Iowa (Iowa City) forms shortly thereafter.
Upset with the Amanites heavy handed policies, Davenport and Bettendorf along with Moline and Rock Island, Illinois fortify themselves and band together as The Quad, an autonomous City State declaring themselves separate from Iowa and Illinois. I-280 (which surrounds the Quad Cities) becomes a toll road patrolled by the Quad’s Militia and is used to keep unwanted folks (state law enforcement, gangs, etc.) out. The Quad’s Militia has access to the military’s weapons located at the Rock Island Arsenal. The Arsenal is a 946-acre island in the Mississippi River located between Davenport and Rock Island. As such the new autonomous region is able to defend itself. The World’s Largest Truck Stop on I-80 (Exit 284) becomes a fortified monstrosity offering protection for weary truckers from the roving bands of raiders. The 220 acre site is a safe haven for armed trucks. The Quad and the truck stop enter into a mutual defense agreement. The Iowa National Guard sets up an Iowa entry check point at mile marker 283 on I-80, west of the truck stop, effectively accepting The Quad as a self governing entity.
2020 Des Moines is the only population center larger than the Amana Colonies. Amana legislators dominate the Iowa Senate and the House. First accusations of misrepresentation are voiced. First Amana governor elected.
2021 The ruins of Waterloo are largely abandoned and are taken over by two of the three largest gangs in the state. The Harpies are rumored to operate out of the Des Moines area. Gangs of motorcycle raiders operate out of the abandoned urban areas around the state.
2022 Appalled by the Supreme Court ruling, the Amanite lead government begins drafting stricter legislation keeping manslaughter on the books. Enforcement of these laws is more stringently enforced in Des Moines, at the borders, and along the major highways. Many of the rural sheriffs and state deputies adopt an “If I didn’t see what happened, I’ll take the survivors word for it” attitude.
2024 Anti vehicle weapon laws passed and enforced on the major highways. This reduces highway violence, but does not prevent it completely. In fact citizens are less protected with ban than before. As law-abiding citizens cannot arm themselves and the outlaw gangs don’t care.
Enforcement of the ban is overseen by the Iowa Department of Inbound and Outbound Transportation (I.D.I.O.T.). But the ability of IDIOT to actually police the populace, stem the influx of armed vehicles arriving from out of state, and keep the roads safe is severely limited.
2028 Alarmed by the number of armed vehicles arriving at border check points (either unintentional [i.e. armed truckers unaware of the ban] or blatant [punk kids seeing what they can get away with or raiders passing themselves off as tourists] defiance of the ban), the Amanite government noting the inability of the Federal government to adequately protect and police “flyover territory” decides pull a “Texas” and secede. Citing the depraved condition of the nation and lawless nature of a nation that allows for the death and destruction of its citizens, the Amanite government sends a formal declaration of secession to Washington.
2029 Iowa closes its borders to prevent incoming weapons and “protect” its citizens. Because of the reduced truck traffic through the state, Iowa suffers economically. Although food production is on the rise, the few remaining Iowa licensed big rigs cannot handle distribution. The smaller towns, their farmers and militia have enough food they just cannot get it shipped to the remaining cities and out state. Affected citizens living on the northern and southern borders attempt to move to Minnesota and Missouri respectively. The rivers hinder East and West migration. Those close to The Quad petition for protection.
2030 With the loss of the I-35 and US218 corridors to the south, Minnesota and the Brotherhood truckers union threaten legal action against the Amanite government, citing hindrance of interstate trade.
Citing the 1869 legal precedent of states being unable to leave the union the Supreme Court rules in favor of Minnesota and forces Iowa to open its borders. The Federal Government actually musters enough troops to forcibly open Iowa’s borders. The Amanite controlled Iowa Congress responds with a complex system of disarming vehicles at the border. Gangs flourish in the interior of the state, away from the heavy concentration of Highway Patrol near the major population centers and border crossings. Incidents of road violence increase unexpectedly. Patrolling of the border is done by the Iowa National Guard.
2031 Car Wars
2032 ISU sociology professor Sampson Pennel offers a class on what he calls the “Tyranny of the Peaceful,” saying the Amana Society is responsible for all of the troubles in Iowa in the last fifteen years. Pennel disappears after four lectures and the class is cancelled. Soon after, the University Book Store mysteriously recalls all of the textbooks for the class, citing poison ink used in some of the books.
Statewide, local sheriffs report being overwhelmed by roving gangs everywhere in the state, along with some illegal autodueling. The State legislature ignores the requests for funding by the county sheriffs, denying that such violence could be possible in pacified areas.
2033 Autoduel Quarterly, “The Journal of the American Autoduel Association,” is first published. Autoduelling now legal in the remaining 46 states in the U.S., as well as Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, most Canadian provinces, the Republic of Quebec, Australia and Mexico. Iowa is the lone holdout though skirmishes at the border and illegal autodueling occurs within the borders do occur. Rural Sheriffs will not prosecute citizens for “defending” themselves from gangs and/or raiders.
2036 The gang problem is now out of control. Finally coming to their senses, the legislature realizes that with the Iowa economy in shambles the state doesn’t have the funds or resources to reinforce the State Highway Patrol. There are too many small dirt roads and minor paved roads for vehicles to enter and leave the state on the north and southern borders. Border counties already suffering from gang activity must also deal with raiders arriving from Minnesota to the north and Missouri to the south. The Mississippi and Missouri rivers on the east and west allow for the bridges to be manned an armed by the Iowa National Guard and State Highway Patrol
Unable to effectively protect the citizens and completely ban dueling within the state, IDIOT’s head George Robert Farley wants to legalize Autodueling within the state and begins campaigns.
2037 Pro-dueling candidates begin running for office.
2038 AADA Vol V The Midwest is published. All Amanite references in this volume are valid.
Late in the year, the Meskwaki Indian Nation located near Tama, Iowa decide they have had enough of Iowa’s politics and decide to expand their territory. Tribe members are required to arm their vehicles and the borders of the now larger Indian nation are defended with deadly force. Iowan citizens caught within the new borders are given three options; live under Meskwaki rule, leave, or die.
2039 Unable to gain control of Iowa Legislature after the elections due to Amanite tampering of the ballots, IDIOT decides to “remove” the Amanites from power.
IDIOT stages a coup. IDIOT’s forces steal nuclear material from the Duane Arnold Nuclear Power plant in Palo, Iowa (8 miles northwest of Cedar Rapids) and build a dirty bomb. Smuggling this device into the Amana Colonies, IDIOT’s operatives nuke the Amanas and simultaneously attack the state capitol building in Des Moines. Most of the senators are killed in the skirmish and the government is left in shambles. Since the Iowa National Guard is busy patrolling the state’s borders the coup is briefly successful. Very few Amanites survive and the former site of the Amana colonies becomes a radioactive crater. George Farley declares himself the Dictator of Iowa.
The Iowa National Guard pulls back from border patrol and counter attacks the new dictatorship.
IDIOT’s leader is captured and summarily executed.
Iowa holds emergency elections to replace the decimated legislature. Iowa National Guard now secures the capitol.
Pro-dueling candidates are overwhelmingly elected.
2040 Ban on autodueling as a sport is lifted. Vehicular weaponry is now legal but still regulated. It is easier to drive to Missouri, Minnesota or The Quad to buy and outfit dueling vehicles than it is to purchase them in state. Autodueling on Iowa’s roadways is still illegal. Iowa National Guard patrols the major highways (I-80 I-35 I-380 US218 US30 and US20) and will prosecute any duelists they encounter (1 in 4 chance of running across Iowa National Guard).
State Agency in charge of Autodueling is DRIVE (Dueling Regulators Iowa Vehicular Enforcement). In accordance with old state laws gambling on dueling is allowed. Sensing a unique opportunity, the Meskwaki Nation reopen their Casino and begin offering OTB (Off Track Betting) on most AADA sanctioned duel sites. As the betting takes place within the borders of a sovereign nation the AADA has no control. The Casino is a huge success and the Nation begins construction of a new duel track. The AADA has offices in Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Fort Iowa, Isu, Uni and The Quad
With the success of the casino, Iowans, eager to garner Autodueling and gambling money for themselves convert old local dirt racetracks and stadiums to dueling arenas. A heyday of local dueling begins.
2051 Iowa Duelway in Newton, The Dome Autoduel Arena in Uni, Knoxville Dirt
Dueling and the track at the Iowa Fairgrounds join the L’Outrance Dueling Circuit. There are many local dirt tracks and Figure-8 dueling is very popular in the state.
2058 Universities having some success in creating non-blight affected grain. Unfortunately this new grain tastes terrible and is unusable for distillation into fuel.
2073 Strange rumors begin filtering into Uni from Truckers southbound on US63. Drone footage reveal something sinister looking has appeared next to the old Allen Hospital.
Vulcan Stev's Database 