Norts
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Norts are a fictional fascist enemy from Rogue Trooper, a science fiction strip in the British comic book 2000 AD, who are fighting the Southers. They were mainly responsible for the Quartz Massacre. The Traitor General was briefly allied with them.
[edit] History
After war broke out on Earth, the remnants of both German and Russian gun manufacturers formed a large corporation and formed a large empire stretching from Asia to Central Europe. Meanwhile the remnants of the armies fled deep into Souther Confederacy space. They formed a political party known as The Nordland Party that would eventually merge with the large corporation. When Nu-Earth was discovered, both the Norts (as they were commonly known) and the Southers formed an uneasy alliance and colonised the planet. The early Nort colonists decided to live in the desert and tame the wild animals. Years later, when a black hole was discovered, tensions mounted between both sides and eventually the Norts declared war on the Southers starting the Nu-Earth Future war. By the time of the story, the atmosphere of Nu-Earth is heavily poisoned by war gases and cannot be breathed except by the Rogue Trooper; all others in the open must wear chemsuits.
[edit] Realpolitik storyline
In the "Realpolitik" storyline, War Marshall Zell travels to Nu-Earth after hearing of his son's death. He releases Kapitan Arkham from prison with the intention of capturing and killing his son's killer, the Rogue Trooper. When Arkham fails the mission, Zell orders Nu-Earth to be captured and sends all available troops there. Eventually, Zell's Inner Circle begin to plot against him, believing he has gone mad due to his son's death. They capture Rogue Trooper and order him to assassinate Zell. Arkham discovers the plot and executes the chief plotters. Meanwhile, Rogue's contact in the base (who is a Double agent) betrays him, resulting in her death. Arkham then contacts Rogue and orders him to continue the mission. After Rogue successfully finishes the mission, he is captured, but is soon released by Arkham after Arkham is promoted to War Marshall. Before the newly promoted marshall leaves Nu-Earth, he orders the remnants of the plotters to be executed.
[edit] Military
Nort Military have formed many units and war machines. In addition to Military police, pay corps, Intelligence, scientists, medics and Bioware Units, the Norts also have at their disposal:
- Base Commanders
- Chem-sisters
- Dust Devils
- EMP troops
- Filth Columists
- Genetic Experiments (Apes that can survive in poisonous atmosphere)
- Infantry
- Kashan Legions
- Lazooka troops
- Motar troops
- Nagan Legions
- Navy Sergeant
- Sailors
- Scum Legions (formed by Admiral Torpitz and disbanded after the Fort Neuropa Campaign)
- Scum Marines (named after the Scum Sea)
- Sergeants
- Shotgun troops
- Snipers
- Space pirates
- Sun Legions
- Stammel Riders
- Vroogmen
- Snow troopers
Their war machines have included:
- Amoks (large robots)
- Blackmares
- Decapitators
- Dream Weavers
- Drill Probes
- Foils (carrying missiles)
- Hell Canon
- Hellstreaks
- Attack Hoppas
- Deploy Hoppas
- Lamprey Assault Ship
- Missile Bomber
- Nort Heavy Support Armour
- Nort Tactical Armour
- Patrol Boats
- Pillboxes
- Porcupine (Particle-Accelerated Armour-Piercing Sabot Micro-Rounds)
- Ro-Rats (On Horst Only)
- Seed Ships (carrying Decapitators)
- Submarines
[edit] Allies
Known allies have so far been the predatory aliens on the planet Horst. Split into four main groups (winged bats, amphibious crab like creatures, a rhino Subspecies and the Drom). Notable members have included:-
- The Grand Marshall
- Doctor Moho
- Unnamed General (rhino sub species)
- Fleeder
[edit] Equipment
Their usual chemsuit has a soft hood, often with a low blunt-pointed top, hiding the wearer's face completely except small round eye-holes, and two large backpack air or oxygen cylinders. Two wide breathing tubes run, one from the top of each cylinder over the shoulders and run into the hood beside his mouth and nose. The design was likely inspired by the old-type open-circuit aqualung, but with the very common comic-book error described here. In some episodes this set has an extra smaller cylinder on the back of the two main cylinders, likely imitated from U.S.Army flamethrowers.
[edit] Well-known Norts
Well-known Norts include:
- General Doenz (most likely replaced the rank of War Marshall) - Supreme Commander
- The War Marshal
- Zell
- Arkham
- Admiral Torpitz
- General Vagner
- The Traitor General
- Morgan
- Horst High Command
[edit] Trivia
- They were inspired by the Northerner Unionists from the American Civil War as well as the Nazis from World War II.
- The Norts protective suits (showing only the eyes) reinforce the "Bad Guy" delineation.
- They often say "Stak!" when either surprised or dismayed.
