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Name: Western Brotherhood of Steel

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Territory: Eastern Washington, Northern Idaho and Western Montana 

History: The Western Brotherhood has a long history. You already know most of it. But you do not know all of it. Since the fall of the Enclave in the west, the Brotherhood has, endured. Whilst the fall of the enclave strengthened the Brotherhood, what with the scavenged power armour, Vertibirds and energy weaponry, as well as moving on Navarro and taking what they could from there, the Council of Elders made a mistake. Attacking the NCR.

The first attacks were devastating, and had they been followed up, would perhaps have crushed the NCR. However, in their hubris, the Council of the Elders believed that a message had been sent, and that the NCR would negotiate for peace. When the counterattacks came, the Elders realised that what they fought would be a short conflict, was turning into a war.

The NCR-Brotherhood war was the Western Brotherhoods darkest hour. The tide slowly, and inevitably, turning against the Brotherhood. Despite some victories, such as the destruction of the NCR’s gold reserves, eventually, the Brotherhood was forced to retreat to their bunkers, with the only patrols being those deemed of the utmost necessity. One act taken in these days was a decision to create a new chapter and send it east, under-strength and under-equipped, this chapter would  later become the East Coast Chapter of the Brotherhood of Steel, but their story is their own.

During these dark days, the Council of Elders convened and argued over what path to take, the divisions were stark. It was then, that the worst came to pass. Communications from the Mojave Chapter, suddenly ceased. Weeks passed, before, finally, the survivors of a ragged patrol reached a Brotherhood Outpost. The Mojave chapter had been destroyed, betrayed from within by an adult initiate who would later be learned to be the one called “The Courier”.

With the strains of the past year too much, the High Elder of the time, Tiberius, suffered a heart attack that saw him die after three days. The Council of the Elders once again convened, and with the numbers even on the council being considered few, agreed on two things. Firstly, that the current position of the Brotherhood was untenable. And that survival of the Brotherhood would require some change, if only for a brief time.

At that meeting, it was decided to elect the new High Elder, and by unanimous(If grudging on some parts) agreement, the figure chosen was Atticus Gladstone, a centrist figure on the Council who could claim matrilineal descent to the Maxson lineage.

Once inaugurated, Atticus made immediate decisions. The Brotherhood would migrate north-east wards, to Idaho. With the NCR increasingly distracted by the Legion in the east, the Brotherhood quietly evacuated their outposts and shifted resources north. A vanguard was sent to link up with the Montana Bunker and carve out a place of settlement. The full force of the Brotherhood then migrated once it was discovered that the Grand Coulee was, whilst not wholly intact, within the Brotherhoods power to restore to full workability.

By 2292, the entire brotherhood had moved into their new lands. The entire western coast brotherhood had been concentrated in a single place. No more scattered outposts across the length and breadth of the pacific seaboard. The old bunkers along the coast were stripped bare and destroyed with thermite, radiation and whatever else could be thought of to deny the NCR their usage.

The Brotherhoods rule was swift and imposing, it was decided that recruits were needed, but that such recruits should be fully loyal to the Brotherhood. To that end, the local tribes in the area were brought to heel. Those that opposed the Brotherhood were wholly and totally destroyed, the young were kept as recruits, the rest were disposed of. The tribes that decided to surrender were made vassals, providing infant and teenage recruits, food and subservience in exchange for protection, internal autonomy, electricity and clean water.

In recent years, the Brotherhood has found safety from threats without. Efforts to restore the system of Hydroelectric dams in the region are progressing with speed, each dam that is restored further strengthens the Brotherhood. With a state of industrial capacity rapidly approaching, the Brotherhood might finally be able to restore themselves to a level comparable to the days of their peak before the war with the NCR.

However, With increasing knowledge of the Midwestern Brotherhood permeating the ranks, divisions grew within the western brotherhood. The Circle of Steel believing the Brotherhood should return to the old ways, the more radical elements split between those who believe that Barnaky may have been a prophet of a new way, rather than a traitor. And fewer still, who had recently learned of the efforts of Father Elijah at the Sierra Madre.

Above all this, High Elder Gladstone struggled to hold the Brotherhood together, and even worse still, looked around, realising that perhaps their brief period of safety from the threats without, was drawing to a close.

Following the first post-war summit for the many scattered nations of the american wasteland, Gladstone returned home, only to be the victim of an assassination attempt. Near death and half burned, Gladstone was dragged from the wreckage by local tribals and nursed back to health. In the meantime, a coup de tat occurred, with the conservative elements headed by the Circle of Steel and hidden within the Maxsonian lodges emerging to seize power.

As small radical-aligned sects began to wage a resistance, Gladstone united the now ignored tribes by the conservative brotherhood who sought to retreat into isolationism and clamp down on the resistance movement. This would prove to be the undoing of the Circle of Steel. Marshalling his forces, and using the lack of focus on the tribes, Gladstone re-established contact with the resistance elements. Thrashing out a plan of attack, the resistance lowered the defences of a number of settlements, and allowed the tribal elements to seize these settlements and hold the brotherhood civilians captive.

Drawing out a military response, Gladstone moved half of his forces towards Electric city under cover of night and as the response force left, resistance elements struck, securing an opening into which Gladstone poured his forces. Now holding all of the civilian elements hostage, Gladstone secured the surrender of the Circle of Steel and proceeded to move swiftly, disarming his enemies, rearming his imprisoned allies and equipping his tribal forces with new arms and armour. The following weeks saw a swift and brutal purge, with the leadership of the circle of steel publicly executed via electrocution.

Sifting through the wreckage, Gladstone issued conditional pardons for a greater portion of the conservatives, only after splitting up a large number of families. His policy was harsh and firm, each rebellious family was to surrender a hostage unto him. The younger, the better. The younger children were declared children of Gladstone and torn from their mothers and fathers and gathered in electric city with the tribal elements for indoctrination and initiation into the new order. For the parents and relatives, a stark warning was issued, behave, or never see your children again. Attendance of state re-education classes was made compulsory, with good behaviour and displays of loyalty being rewarded in the form of increased familial visits to the state youth camps.

Through this way, a cult of personality was born around Gladstone, "Saviour of the One True Brotherhood of Steel" and "Inheritor of the Legacy of Maxson". Much was made of Gladstone's link to the Maxson lineage through maternal ties. He was a Maxson by Blood if not by name, no other relations of Maxson remained, only Gladstone, and as Maxson was the Brotherhoo and Gladstone was a Maxson by blood. Gladstone [i]was[/i] the Brotherhood. The children were indoctrinated to this way of thinking and encouraged to repeat this dogma daily and inform on their families at any sign of resistance to this "Truth".

For the tribes, backing the winning side brought hitherto unseen benefits for them. Uplifting of their settlements was made an immediate priority, children were surrendered to the state eagerly in exchange for electricity, purified running water and medical facilities. The more loyalty they professed and showed in the form of manpower and suchlike, the more uplifting was bestowed upon them. 

With the strife of civil war behind him, if not yet fully healed, The West Coast Brotherhood has swiftly moved towards industrialisation as a way forwards to unity with the aerial forces of the brotherhood being the central show-piece of this effort. Further mentions have been made of securing the unstable borders of their realm and as the High Elder tightens his grip upon his people, he looks for ways to turn his Brotherhood from a melting pot of tribal divisions, into a single united empire.

[b]Population:[/b] 150,000 all told. However, this is split between the vassal tribes and the Brotherhood of Steel proper. With the Brotherhood proper numbering 20,000, and the vassal tribes making up the rest of the population.

[b]Government/Domestic Politics:[/b] The Council of Elders reigns at the top with the High Elder at their head, with the ranks having only recently replenished following the civil war. Beneath them come the heads of the various Orders, and finally, below that the bulk of the Brotherhood.

With the reorganisation of the "Gladstonian Reforms", the West Coast Brotherhood has established a more centralised system of politics. The land has been divided into 10 districts, each overseen by an Elder, in turn overseeing four wards each overseen by a warden.


[b]Military (As of the Gladstonian Reforms):[/b] 15,000 troops altogether.

Army - 13,000 Soldiers (3,000 Sword-Brethren, 10,000 Territorials)

Air Force - 2,000 Soldiers

Navy - 0 Soldiers

Army of the West Coast Brotherhood of Steel following the Gladstonian Refoms:

The single largest component of the "New" Brotherhood Military, the Army has been sharply redefined and redesigned through Gladstone's commands and singular view of a single united homogeneous Western Brotherhood nation state. As such, the new structure of the army has been redrawn into a "Maxsonian" model with two separate branches for the army. The first of which being the Order of the Sword, which makes up the "Regular" section of the army and is essentially a continuation of the old practices of the WCBOS with recruitment opened up to any and all within the West Coast's Brotherhoods lands from tribal to hereditary-brotherhood citizens.

Order of the Sword Rank Structure:

Aspirant, Initiate, Squire, Knight, Knight-Corporal, Knight-Sergeant, Knight-Lieutenant, Knight-Captain, Paladin, Paladin-Commander, Chief-Paladin, High Elder

Apsirants are applicants who either wash out or succeed in their screening and training to become Initiates, wherein their path is decided through further tests. Three paths lie ahead for Initiates, the Order, the Air Force or entry into the Scribes. Those who wind up in the order are then granted the rank of squire and after further training, are finally knighted as sword-brethren of the WCBOS.

The uniforms and equipment of the Sword-Brethren is simple, those with the rank of Knight and above are outfitted in power armour, with squires being kitted out in Marine Armour and expected to act as scouts for the sword-brethren in order to learn the new style of warfare they will be practising. The standard sidearm for Squires is that of combat rifles, usually fully modified with silencers, underslung attachments and fully selective firing modes. Squires are expected to learn the values of fire support and providing over-watch for their armoured brethren as they approach the enemy. Once a knight, the sword-brethren may substitute their rifle for energy weaponry, higher-grade conventional weaponry, or melee weaponry depending on what "Path" they decide to settle upon.

Outside of the Sword-Brethren, the main body of the Army of the West Coast Brotherhood is that of the Territorial Guard. More often referred to as the "Tribal Levies". Though this perception is changing as the levies increasingly prove their worth in combat.

A more conventional infantry force in contrast to the Warrior-Monastic Sword-Brethren. The Levies are divided into regiments and are trained and fight like conventional infantry.

Rank Structure - Territorials - Cadet, Private, Corporal, Sergeant, Lieutenant, Captain, Major, Colonel, Marshal, High Elder

Consisting of 10,000 troops of all ranks, the Territorials are divided into 10 regiments across the western brotherhood. Each regiment is then broken down into 10 companies of 100 men each with two support companies and eight line companies per regiment.

Their arms and armour are simple. All Territorial troopers are outfitted in a simple field grey uniform with black boots, puttees, combat armour cuirass, webbing, gas mask, M1 Helmet and armed with a standard 20 round magazine 5.56mm bolt action combat rifle, bayonet and grenades. Further armaments include light machine guns, sniper rifles, shotguns and pistols and revolvers.

Support companies utilise radio equipment and M114 155m howitzers to co-ordinate with line companies and provide heavy fire support against enemy armoured units and fortifications.


Air Force - The newest and smallest section of the WCBOS's military, it is being increasingly pushed forwards as a force for projecting the Brotherhoods "Hard" and "Soft" power across the continent.

Rank Structure - Aspirant, Initiate, Page, Lance-Airman/Airwoman, Lance-Sergeant, Lance-Captain, Lance-Major, Lance-Commander, Chief-Lancer, High Elder

10 Vertibirds make up the core of "Old" air force. With nine having been requisitioned for Spec Ops duties and one reserved for the High Elder's usage.

The "New" Air-force, consists of three YB-35 strategic bombers, nine XB-42 tactical bombers and twenty-one P-47 thunderbolts as escort fighters. Along with Twenty Lockheed C-130 Hercules for logistical purposes.


Navy - The Brotherhood has no navy. Yet.

Economy: Historically, the Brotherhood of Steel has engaged in a primarily neo-feudalistic economy, in exchange for protection and clean water, the local tribes provide recruits, resources and agricultural produce for the brotherhood. In recent months however, the High Elder has instituted a five year plan with the intent of reforming and re-structuring the economy to help support an industrial and military society.

Trade with the surrounding localities has been encouraged following the Gladstone's restoration to the position of High Elder, with caravans encouraged to enter Brotherhood territory, as well as admittance of foreign business. Furthermore, to stimulate economic growth, the Brotherhood has adopted corporatism as a state tenet, with government directed business forming to help provide domestic needs, as well as organising export contracts to help ensure local employment.

Culture and Technology: The Brotherhood is neutral on the issue of slavery outside of their lands. Inside, it’s been abolished through force so as to ensure harmony among the vassals.

The Western Brotherhood keeps to the old mantra on the mutant. Tolerate not the Mutant.

Currently, the Brotherhood recruits through a process of preferable infant recruitment following genetic screening. This enables tribal identities to be erased and the new recruits raised as fully functioning members of the brotherhood. Teenage initiates are recruited, but are given a brutal system of trials to pass, as well as psychological induction to ensure loyalty.

Since the destruction of the Mojave chapter, adult initiates are forbidden. Addendum: Following the Gladstonian reformation, this has edict has been modified to allow a number of adult initiates to be taken, provided they meet the requirements.

The technology of the Brotherhood is of an advanced level. With extensive knowledge of pre-war technology, and a slight level of innovation concerning post-war technology. Able to repair almost all pre-war technology, they can produce new technology albeit slowly. However, with the activation of the Grand Coulee, the power needs of the Brotherhood have become obsolete, and the Brotherhood now looks to attaining a fully industrial power-base from which to ensure that never again are they driven to the old days of desperation.

Religion: Strictly Secular. Though recently the High Elder has been concerned with the “Lodges of Maxson” that have apparently spread through the ranks with links to the Circle of Steel, as well as even more insidious rumours necessitating secret investigations into apparent meetings of a “Cult of Steel” centred around the Midwestern figure of the traitor Barnaky. Not to mention recent discovery of mentions of a radical faction known as “The Disciples of Elijah”.

Addendum on Religion - Following the Western Brotherhood Civil War, the Lodges of Maxson have been forcibly dissolved, with the ringleaders being publicly executed along with the main apparatus of the Circle of Steel, and large numbers of the lodge members being punished and sent to re-education facilities.
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