Go-Gangs, the modern form of Biker Gangs, who menace the plex's highways and streets are one of the rampant problems of the Seattle Megaplex (as well as of nearly any plex in North America as well as outside. Go-Gangs are groups of from 50 to 100 men and women on motorcycles or other vehicles who engage in a large variety of crimes. Some focus on arms or drugs trafficking, while others engage in small time thievery—stickups and robbing other motorists. The Go-Gangers often modify their vehicles to make them look more fearsome by the addition of metal spikes, shark fins and all sorts of armoring. Most bikes also carry at least one slug-throwing weapon welded onto the chassis. These can be fired from the front of the side of the bike.
Go-Gangs boldly claim long stretches of road as their own territory and they will defend their "path of crete" against any incursion. When Go-Gangs butt heads, they race up and down a stretch of highway (usually an interchange between two highways), shooting at one another and sometimes jousting like medieval knights of old. The gangs call these battles "crash-and-burn fests." Fortunately they tend to limit them to the late evening hours when most citizens are safe at home.
Many Go-Gangs in Seattle have ties to either the Mafia or the Yakuza and routinely carry out their dirty work. Go-Gangers are very effective in the areas of intimidation and assassination. The gangs show little long-term loyalty to the mobs, however, and may work for the Yakuza one week and the Mafia the next.
There are five major Go-Gangs operating in Seattle. The «Red Rovers», «Eye-Fivers» and the former «Spike Wheels» - which renamed themselves «Spikes» - all claim parts of Intercity 5 as their own. The «Leather Devils», who prowl Intercity 90 and the «405 Hellhounds» lay claim to Intercity 405. The Red Rovers are predominately Ork riders who call the northern stretch of Intercity 5 their home. The Eye-Fivers are a Human gang who patrol the downtown stretch of the highway. The «Spike Wheels»/«Spikes» are mostly (if not exclusively) Troll who control the Tacoma-Fort Lewis area. The «Ancients», an Elven gang, are unique in claiming no real territory, preferring to attack a rival gang suddenly, and then disappear almost miraculously. In addition, many smaller gangs prowl the city's smaller thoroughfares.
The gangs, when not cruising their territory, are usually holed up in various inner-city hovels, which they call their "grease pits," usually located in the poorer neighborhoods along the highways. Gang members are notorious chip and alcohol abusers. To support their habits when the Mobs have no work for them, gangs resort to extortion or to sending weaker members out as prostitutes to raise the Nuyen to buy the next day's supply of booze and drugs.
Go-Gangs differ some way from the classic One-Percenter Motorcycle Clubs like the «Hells Angels» or «Bandidos», because they prefer Japanese motorcycles instead of the classical Harley Davidson.
Comments[]
- The Go-Gangs are likely inspired by the real life motorcycle gangs of Japan, the Bōsōzoku. The major differences being that the Bōsōzoku are not nearly as aggressive.
Index[]
- Downtown Militarized Zone
- Elven Fire
- Underworld Sourcebook