Excepts from the
NORTH AMERICAN ROAD ATLAS AND SURVIVAL GUIDE, 3rd Edition
Greater Lafayette Area, Ind.

by Barton H. Stano and M.K. "Stack" Stoecklin
 

HTML conversion by Michael P. Owen, March 2000

The Greater Lafayette Area (GLA) is composed of Layfayette and its smaller sister city of West Lafayette. These cities are located in northwest Indiana along the Wabash Ricer. Lafayette, a city of 80,000, is a light manufacturing center, and its sister city (known as W. L.) is the home of Purdue University, the political center of northern Indiana.
 

History

Indiana, like the rest of the Corn Belt states, was hit very hard by the Grain Blight of 2016. Up to then Indiana had been a major alcohol producer for energy-hungry America. Times had been good for Indiana, especially so for the GLA. When the Blight hit, the economy almost collapsed -- and Lafayette and W.L. were no exception.

The only bright spot for northern Indiana was Purdue University. Purdue funded many experimental projects and helped to maintain essential services. The innovative Student Volunteer Program (S.V.P.) was founded in 2016 to help outlying rural communities cope with the problems of the Blight and cycle gangs. Purdue has grown over the years from a university into a self-contained governmental unit. Because of its machine shops and farms the university has considerable economic and political power.

The Food Riots of 2016 were quelled quickly by Purdue Police and the county militia. These militias and other vigilante groups (described later) maintained relative peace even though the rest of the state was in chaos. For a few months in 2016 the state capital was moved to W.L., for it was more secure than Brickyard (Indianapolis).

Local manufacturing of auto equipment, wire, and electronics has blossomed here in the last few years. Unemployment has dropped to less than 10% and the area is beginning to prosper.

W.L. was the first city to sanction arena autoduelling in Indiana. Purdue fields one of the finest college autoduelling teams in America and has won the Big 9 championship four times. The Peterson arena is opened to the public and is very well equipped. Autoduellmg in the GLA is restricted to arenas only, and private duels are best left to deserted country roads.
 

Points of Interest

The map shows the Greater Lafayette Area and its major highways. Also, a map of Purdue University and its immediate area is on the opposite page.

Greater Lafayette Area

1. The County Courthouse: The local courts and militias have offices here. All vehicles with defensive armament must be registered here. A good place to go if you need legal or vigilante help.

2. Mayor Smith Memorial Arena: The fairground contains a small autoduelling arena. This arena is known for its dangerous trench traps and large prizes for its Sunday games. The events are televised by Purdue TV.

3. Tippe Mall: The mall is the largest shopping complex in northern Indiana. There are many shops that cater to autoduellists. A great selection of domestic and imported weapons and spare parts is available. The AADA has a small office here serving the GLA.

4. Home Hospital: The largest hospital in the area and quite possibly the best. It has a good trauma center and ambulance service. Gold Cross offices with a full clone bank are located here also.

5. Middleset Wire Co. : This British-owned wire factory does more than make wire. They modify and do specialty work on cars and cycles. They proudly boast "we do what others dream of!" This is a good place to have major retooling of your vehicle done. But watch out; your pocketbook may need retooling after a visit here.

6. AADA office: This is the northern Indiana office of the AADA. They have good relations with most of the militias and vigilante groups
in northern Indiana.

7. Hamburger Bypass: This strip of highway has many fast food restaurants -- in fact, Lafayette boasts it has more operating fast food restaurants than any city in the midwest. A good place for a bit of nostalgia that your grandparents would remember well.

8. S.V.P. Office: This is the site of the Student Volunteer Program office. This is the only civil authority for most of the rural areas around the GLA. They organize relief convoys to the nearby rural areas and are very helpful in providing info on northern Indiana trouble spots. If you are hard up for cash they are always hiring drivers and gunners for their convoys. Dangerous work but steady pay.

9. Driver's Guild: This office will, for a small fee, match drivers and gunners with jobs or vice-versa. This service has almost all the job listings for the midwest.

Purdue

1. Peterson Autoduelling Arena: The most modem and up-to-date arena in northern Indiana. Events are run almost every day and many are AADA sponsored. The yearly Grand Prix week offers a $500,000 cash prize and is one of the largest AADA events in the country. The arena is open to the public.

2. Laser Battery: There are twelve laser-equipped bunkers, each named after a former Purdue president. These ensure that the campus is free from duellist activity. Armed vehicles and all types of hand weapons are illegal on campus; in fact, last year the Beering battery melted a duellist’s subcompact that tried to run the barricade (the slag was left there as a friendly warning).

3. USH: University Student Hospital -- an average health care facility for the times. Rumor has it that its care leaves something to be desired. Most patients prefer Home Hospital.

4. Entomology Hall: This building (erected in 1908) is a remarkable piece of architecture and is worth a visit to see. It boasts the only
fully restored copper ceiling in the country.

5. Krannert Graduate School of Management Memorial Swimming Pool: This is the last example of EPA regulatory might. Its last landmark decision had the building razed due to suspected carcinogenic hazard from the building's insulation. Purdue converted its foundation into a large swimming pool (students call it "The Pit"). The statistical study of Krannert graduates' cancer rate was proven faulty and this led to the demise of EPA. Local myth says that the statistician was a graduate from a little-known university located near a limestone quarry.
 

6. PMU: The Union has the best food in the area, and at decent prices, too. A hangout for students and the Purdue police. A good place
to find students needing a ride home -- and some can pay the price you set.

7. The Village: This used to be a student-oriented shopping area but the Food Riots destroyed much of it. This is the scene of the famous
"Purdue Massacre." Today the bumed-out business fronts provide shelter to many petty thieves and vagrants. Purdue has long planned a revitalization of the area but so far little has been done.

8. Purdue Airport: This modern airport is the home of several commuter airlines. A blimp-mooring station is located here and many cargo blimps stop to transfer cargo.

Events

Several events held in the GLA are worth mention. First is the monthly City Auto Auction. Held at the Tippe Mall it features all the cars impounded by the city and the GLA Militia (GLAM). In February the AADA holds a car show. The best machines in the country are displayed and next year’s models are debuted; well worth a visit.

The largest event by far is the celebration after the Purdue-IU autoduelling contest. The whole city seems to party at an intensity reminiscent
of the Food Riots. The Purdue team routinely outclasses their southern counter-parts, due to the vast scientific and technical superiority they possess.
 

Facilities

The most up to date autoduelling and truck stop facilities in northern Indiana are located in the GLA. There are over 40 power stations and 8 fully-equipped garages in the two cities. Also, dealerships for all American and imported cars can be found for any of those dealer-only repairs. Two truck stops are located just north and south of Lafayette on US 65.

The Pegasus, an armored bus line, operates on a daily schedule. There are many freight companies and independent haulers-for-hire based in the GLA. The Purdue airport handles commuter copter and fixed-wing aircraft serving Brickyard and Chi-town daily. Also, cargo blimps stop here on their way to the coasts.

There are two TV stations: Purdue TV and WGLA. Purdue TV operates a traffic chopper 24 hours a day and has produced several award-winning documentaries.
 

Autoduelling in the GLA

Duelling in the GLA is limited to arenas. Personal duels are illegal in the city limits -- the local militias will most likely gun down both parties. (Duelling outside the city limits on out-of-the-way county roads is often done.)

The Peterson Arena is well recommended and has many large prize tourneys. Saturday night is Amateur Night while Tuesday night is Unlimited Class Night. The Mayor Smith Arena is not AADA-sanctioned due to its inherent dangers (to spectators as well as contestants).
 

Highways

US 52 is the major thoroughfare and is in good repair and very well patrolled, but north to Chi-town it is not safe, due to cycle gangs and ill repair. US 65 is in decent repair, but tolls are collected to maintain state police patrols ($30 cycles, $50 cars, $70 big rigs). US 65 is by far the best way to Chi-town or Brickyard.

State Roads 25 and 26 are in good repair in the GLA. But be warned -- outside of this area the road is in bad shape, and it passes through
many small towns with well-armed outlaw gangs. US 231 and SR 43 are in such bad condition that they are closed to traffic outside the GLA.
 

Organizations in the GLA

The GLA and Purdue have a great many groups and organizations and their internal and external relationships are often complex. Between Purdue frats, dorms, vigilantes, and cycle gangs, this can be a very dangerous area. All AADA members are advised to be especially careful when both speaking and driving.

The largest and best-armed vigilante group is GLAM (the GLA Militia). GLAM has primary responsibility to maintain order in the GLA. They support a fleet of 31 cars and cycles (including two vans and one big rig) all painted blue with red-and-white trim. Officers in the GLAM wear a blue uniform with an orange shirt ("orange shirts") and enlisted personnel wear green with blue armbands. This group will shoot anyone within
city limits engaging in a duel. Outside of maintaining the peace they also have an extensive spy network and know much about the local
gangs and even about the other cities' militias.

The W.L.-Lafayette Police number 31 officers and 12 cars all painted white with blue trim. These officers are much more lightly armed than the GLAM. They are not well respected by the community (especially the GLAM), and are often given routine traffic control.

The Purdue Police force, on the other hand, is well-equipped (due to its acquisition of the Purdue ROTC corps and its armory) and maintains order in the university area. They have 14 heavily armed cars and a deadly riot van (all painted tan with the Purdue seal clearly visible). This is a highly trained and disciplined force, helpful to students and very wary of strangers.

Near Purdue various cars and cycles from dorms and frats will often be seen. The dormies stencil their dormitory names while the frats post their Greek letters on their vehicles. There is much nonviolent rivalry between the two groups and because of this Purdue fields one of the best autoduelling teams in the country. It is best to stay clear of any trouble between these two groups for it can occasionally turn slightly nasty.

The other student group worth mentioning is the Student Volunteer Program (S.V.P.). They wear green uniforms with bright gold trim and their vehicles are similarly painted. This organization was originally started as a method of consolidating control of the local area. Service in the S.V.P. was optional -- at first -- for students, but has grown into a requirement for graduation, giving the University an efffective militia of 6,000. The S.V.P. regularly convoys medical supplies and food to needy communities throughout northern Indiana. But beneath their charitable attitudes lies a formidable and deadly paramilitary organization not to be taken lightly.

In the GLA there are two duelling clubs. The first is the Sycamores, a small group of duellists who are the reigning area champions. In close competition are the Boilermakers, who are always trying to upset the champs. Both clubs are routinely on AADA probation for various dirty tricks played on each other. As if this were not enough, many EDSELs are active here and routinely picket and harass the two groups. Several acts of terrorism have been directed at the AADA offices over the last few years and the EDSELs are widely suspected.

Two very dangerous cycle gangs roam outside of GLA. The first is the Hoosiers; with up to 75 cycles they terrorize northern Indiana truckers. Known for bizarre and seemingly random behavior, they are well armed and often have inside help. They have pulled off a few spectacular heists (among them a multi-million dollar heist of computer chips), although their forte is more "smash and grab." The location of their base is still unknown, and their leader’s identity is still unclear (it's rumored he answers to the title "Bob"). The Hoosiers ride red motorcycles and wear plaid scarves. If you see them, run for your life -- they are vicious killers.

If you think the Hoosiers are bad, Reverend Death and the Death Watch are far worse. Five years ago a satanic worshipper got a group together and decided to "evangelize" rural northern Indiana. They burned and looted 24 small towns before they were turned back near the GLA. They are a constant and vicious enemy of all (including the Hoosiers) but especially the S.V.P. They massacred a l00-man S.V.P. medical convoy last year and have vowed death to these "do-gooders." The S.V.P. now heavily guards convoys, and is offering a $250,000 reward for Rev. Death (dead or alive, of course). Rev. Death and his followers (sometimes as many as 50 misfits and crazies) all wear black with skulls on their helmets. This is a cruel and sadistic group and their demise would be greatly welcomed.