In the late teens, population pressure on the county's limited resources increased, and battle lines were drawn according to age. In what the press termed "CondoWars," militant retirees attempted to take complete control of Palm Beach County -- first by elections, then by force. For five years, a terrorist war was waged by those over fifty against those under fifty. The science of gerontology had pro- gressed to the point where an average functional lifespan was 95 years of age, and ages of up to 125 years were being reported. "Condo Commandos" became a force to be reckoned with. Repeated efforts by the state to negotiate a settlement finally bore fruit in 2025 when the Century Accord was signed. Land granted by Florida Governor Sherman D. Barren created Sunnydown Citadel -- a retirement colony. Other factions sectioned off remaining areas of the county, governing each one autonomously, and periodically reporting to the governor. Urban homesteaders moved into the remaining unclaimed territories.
Today, the new MacArthur Seawall protects Palm Beach County from the sea, but the area's various factions continue to guard their "turf" jealously -- and violently.
2) RCA Technologies: A high-security manufacturing compound. The perimeter is fortified, topped with electric fencing, and patrolled around the clock. There is a heavily fortified corridor leading to the 1-95 entrance.
3) New Jacksonville: Bordered by the remnants of North Lake Blvd. to the north; state road 702 to the south; and the seawall and state road 809 to the east and west, respectively. There are lots of people and a lot fewer cars, so there are frequent raids on neighbouring territories to pick off damaged vehicles. Combat is infrequent, but supported by armed pedestrians.
4) Sunnvdown Citadel: A retirement colony, encompassing the lands from 702 on the north, 809 to the east, and US 98 to the south -- and pushing further westward each year. The architecture and atmosphere are classic "concrete coast" -- very comfortable for the older set. The three road borders are very heavily fortified, as is the Century Corridor of the Florida Turnpike. Visitors are permitted only through the turnpike entrance. with proper identification. There are other controlled accesses to the Citadel, but these are heavily mined or trapped.
5) Florida Highway Patrol Air Base: The FHP patrols the turnpike and 1-95 primarily and is called in to settle major skirmishes - which it does very efficiently. Be warned.
6) Palm Beach International Auto Arena: The place to be on a Saturday night. Included in the programs are tractor pulls. swamp romps, auto and motorcross, stock car races, as well as autoduelling events seven days a week. See the local newspaper -- The Palm Beach Shoulder Holster -- for local card. This writer recommends Convict Night -- get your tickets early. Action 89-TV carries the action live early afternoon and evening.
7) The Migrants: Tribes of former migrant workers inhabit this marshy area. Even bikers are afraid of them -- avoid at all costs.
8) The Great Marsh: These lowlands are bordered by US 98 on the north (just south of the aquifer which runs parallel to US 98), state roads 807 and 802, and the turnpike. This area is partially flooded all year long, due to the breakdown of flood control systems and more than ample Florida liquid sunshine. to an average depth of one foot. Most of the oldest concrete structures have been recycled into plasticrete via the local plant, so there are few single-story buildings. The multi-unit condominiums and apartment complexes generally have a six- to ten-foot-high plasticrete retaining wall perimeter to keep water and intruders out. There are partially submerged blockages and mazes guarding the entry/exit ramps into each compound. The twenty-acre tract of Pine Pallisades West is very heavily fortified and patrolled. All other compounds have varying degrees of protection, but none are totally undefended. Autoduelling is infrequent due to road conditions. but the residents do raid neighbouring areas occasionally.
9) Nuevo Miami: Just east of the Great Marsh, Nuevo Miami is inhabited mostly by refugees from the Miami area. Auto and pedestrian combat is frequent because of turf wars between the numerous barrios, as are supply raids into neighbouring areas.
10) Lake Worth Exchange and Truck Stop
11) MacArrhur Seawall: Constructed of concrete, it separates the new coast of Florida from the Atlantic Ocean. The depth of the ocean at the seawall is four to eight feet above the coast line. after the stabilizing of the greenhouse effect in 2018.
12) Palm Beach Community College and Technical Institute: Two-year certificate and degree programs in all of the sciences. as well as the liberal and combat arts, are offered all year. As a rule, personal and auto combat are prohibited; this is enforced by campus security .
Our Lady Corretta Hospital, located on the east side of 1-95, on state road 702.
The Humanitarian. located on the west side of 1-95, also on state road 702.
L'Infirmeria de Nuevo Miami, located on the corner of Rio Nicaragua (formerly 10th Ave. N.) and 807. Se habla Espanol.
All hospitals are considered to be neutral zones -- enforced by the FHP.
Actions/swap meets
The Fairgrounds International Public Auto and Equipment Auction. Held at the PBIAA (see #6) every Wednesday night at 6 p.m. Here, the public can view the latest declassified technological offerings for vehicular travel and combat, and pick up parts and supplies. International trade and cuisine, live music, dancing, and roller derby round out the evening.
Impound Auction. On the 15th of each month, the FHP auctions off impounded vehicles, weapons, ammo, and miscellaneous equipment. Check the local newspaper for inventory listings.
The New Jacksonville Swap Shop. Located off of 1-95 at the Blue Heron exchange in New Jacksonville, it's a good place to pick up used parts and supplies, and have emergency repairs done. The swap shop is considered to be a DMZ, though occasional fights and gunfire have been reported. Let the buyer beware.
Autoduelling clubs include the Marsh Raiders of the Great Marsh, the New Jacksonville Cruisers, and the Sunnydown Crime Watch Association. (The SCWA insignia is a bright orange sundown over a gray Bastogne sedan.) The only recognized motorcycle club is the Rattlesnakes, which operates in conjunction with the Marsh Raiders. There are numerous independent garages and power stations in the county. The biggest is located just north of the state road 802 exchange on the Florida Turnpike. It is a regular stop for all Brotherhood members and has full facilities.
The SCWA has an uneasy truce with the Marsh Raiders, simply because of their inaility to duel effectively in flooded areas. Unofficially, SCWA vehicles travel in pairs or triplets and are prone to fire on anyone appearing to be under fifty years of age. The president of the club -- Jonathon "Cap'n Nemo" Nicholsberg -- is a double ace, around 85 years old. He is a former captain in the Israeli Army and rumored to have been involved in anti-terrorist activities in the '80s. He drives a light blue Mark IV (luxury car body) with a turreted laser and other heavy weaponry. The luxury car is the standard car of the SCWA.
A typical marsh maverick vehicle is a lightly armored pickup or van with off-road equipment and wheelguards. Due to special flotation tires, they handle well in muck and water. A favored tactic is to force a vehicle into the muck and wait for it to start filling up with water, staying safely out of weapon range, then charging in to pick off the driver when he bails out. Several roads in the marsh are trapped or mined. The mines are not visible below the water's surface. Marsh Raiders, of course, know where the unsafe stretches are.
Typical entry defenses for the marsh compound consist of a maze of partially submerged barriers one to two feet in height, extending outward approximately 300' from the entrance. The Raiders drive through the maze into a four-foot trench, which is enough to short out most standard vehicles, and up an access ramp which takes the vehicle over the retaining wall and into the compound via another ramp. Estimated membership of the Raiders is between 150 to 300, with as many vehicles. They also maintain four regular cargo helicopters and a medi-vac unit. There are no membership figures available on the Rattlers, but there are a lot of them.
