Newport Raiders

History
The Newport Raiders originated in Vault 99. When the vault residents eventually fled in 2259 to the city of Newport News, they formed a small group of raiders. Their reasoning behind this was because, affected by isolation in the vault for 200 years, as well as the constant threat of flooding, they had gone quite insane, and when they encountered smaller groups and eliminated them with ease, they saw the opportunity to unite all the pitiful raider gangs. At first, their greatest feat was patrolling the I-64 and intercepting caravans, either forcing them to hand their merchandise or outright killing all the merchants.

However, over the years they raked in new members and assimilated new raider groups, eventually forming enough manpower to start spreading out of Newport News. Their first capture was the Newport News Airport, in 2263, just north of the city itself. There, they tore down the walls and abandoned aircraft to use as building materials, similar to Megaton in the Capital Wasteland. It was around this time that they also walled up the entrance of Vault 99 with the same materials, in order to stop it from flooding Newport News. Their second capture was Newport News Shipbuilding, a pre-war factory that specialized with creating large ships, in 2268. From this, they were able to scavenge and repair many ships, military and otherwise. With these, they were able to travel along and across the river, giving them even more ability to expand. To the west, they moved along Highway 17, creating a new route into the Dead Lands from there. Moving further south, they started to move along the I-664, creating a new, partially protected bridge into the Dead Lands. Moving east, they captured Old Hampton, coming into conflict with a small faction of the Navals in Fort Monroe who prevented them from expanding across the Dead Lands Bridge and into the Dead Lands. They decided to continue moving north, and in 2277 they found Fort Eustis, where they repaired and used many new military ships, as well as multiple stockpiles of weaponry. In Fort Eustis they also recovered the USS Abraham Lincoln, which they renamed to Great Abraham. They used it as their largest and most powerful asset, sailing up and down the James River, eliminating any who opposed them and settling into new areas. Before they could move on to the Langley Airforce Base in 2278, however, the Enclave came from the Capital Wasteland, quickly setting themselves up inside the airforce base due to the weaker prescence of the Newport Raiders at the time. Despite numerous attempts to take the airforce base, the Enclave's firepower pushed them back.

Despite the setback, they continued to move north, eventually coming into conflict with the Navals in Yorktown. Here, they remained in conflict until in 2279, the Virginia Brotherhood of Steel appeared at their front gates. Seeing the opportunity, the Newport Raiders let them through, leading them to the Navals, hoping the Brotherhood would do their job for them. The Brotherhood did just that, pushing the Navals out of Yorktown, creating what was later known as the Brotherhood-Naval War, though they then realized they had surrounded themselves with raiders. The Newport Raiders kept them isolated, watching for the time to strike while the Brotherhood struggled against the Navals across the river. Confident that the Brotherhood would keep the Navals busy in Yorktown, they continued to expand.

Along Highway 17, they found their way into the Dead Lands and set up a new settlement inside, Smithfield. From this small outpost they spread north from there, eventually reaching Hog Island and the Dominion Surry Nuclear Power Plant, which they brought back to life and used to power their boats when stopping by.

With the aid of Great Abraham, and now that the Navals were distracted, the Newport Raiders continued to spread north. They conquered Jamestown in 2280, creating another access point across the James River for them. They continued on north, until they reached something they hadn't expected. Providence stood across from them, and they at first appeared to wish to speak to the Newport Raiders as new 'friends'. The raiders quickly killed any of the messengers sent to them, and when word was relayed to Providence, a war quickly began. Providence stopped the Newport Raiders from spreading any farther north, not only protecting the rest of the Virginia Wasteland but also Richmond City. During this time they also encountered the Navals once again when trying to flank Providence, at Etham. At Etham, they were stuck in a standstill between the Newport Raiders and the Navals, which was known as the Etham Stalemate. Here, the Newport Raiders were caught fighting multiple wars at the same time, one against the Enclave at Langley Airforce Base, another against the Virginia Brotherhood of Steel at Yorktown, another against the Navals at Etham, Fort Monroe and Goodwin Islands, and another against Providence at the various border cities. In the same year, they would be pushed back from the I-664 by the Children of Atom, who would conquer the land south of Victory Arch. Despite this, they managed to stand stubbornly still, not expanding but not retreating either.

Newport News
Newport News is the headquarters and capitol of the Newport Raiders. Vault 99 was based here, and the residents fled here after the vault became flooded. From their base in the city, they expanded quickly, taking many territories. Much of Newport News is destroyed, though parts of it stand, and any habitable locations are bound to be inhabited by some sort of raider group under the flag of the Newport Raiders.

Newport News Shipbuilding
The Newport News Shipbuilding Factory is a major industrial area. Here, the Newport Raiders repair and modify their vessels, using the numerous pre-war tools found in the factory. It is where the Great Abraham was repaired and sent out.

Newport News Airport
The Newport News Airport is a resource for the Newport Raiders, as the various metals making up the airport and planes give them ample resources to build their reinforcements and walls.

Fort Eustis
Fort Eustis is one of the most important locations to the Newport Raiders. Here, they gained most of their firepower, as well as their most powerful military ships. It also is used as a military outpost, the most important one out of them all. The commanders of the military stay here, controlling the vast army of the Newport Raiders.

Jamestown
Jamestown is another access point for the Newport Raiders across the James River. It is very militarized, with most of the colonial town being transformed into a military checkpoint. It has aided them in moving across the river on foot, as it is much more reliable than Highway 17, which leads straight into the Dead Lands, providing a dangerous journey through it.

Dominion Surry Nuclear Power Plant
The Surry Nuclear Power Plant is the main source of power for the Newport Raiders. It was repaired, albeit roughly, by them and is used to power their various boats and machines, which they typically use to create weapons or modifications.

Smithfield
Smithfield is the main outpost in the Dead Lands. It is the most populated settlement in the entirety of the Dead Lands, though most of the inhabitants are raiders or unfortunate slaves. It has been a forward point for them across the James River, though the location makes it dangerous to traverse.

Old Hampton
Old Hampton is the ruins of Hampton, a large city before the war. It is nothing but ruins, and is now used by the Newport Raiders in order to monitor the I-64 and Dead Lands Bridge. Old Hampton is also used as a military outpost near Fort Monroe, which is occupied by the Navals.

Victory Arch
Victory Arch is little more than a statue to the Newport Raiders. Despite this, they keep it standing as a marker of where their territory ends and the territory of the Children of Atom along the I-664 begins.

Overseers
The Overseers are at the very top of the chain of command. They're named after the leaders of the vaults, such as Vault 99, where they got the idea from. The original Overseer was just that: the Overseer of Vault 99. The tradition of naming the supreme rulers Overseers continued after he made it so.

Overseers have complete control over every other rank, and are able to give any command that could be given by any other. They are never seen in the battlefield, only coming out if their very household is threatened, and even then the Overseers are garbed in heavily modified power armor.

Chiefs
The Chiefs are the second in command. They're named after the Vault Security Chiefs, who were the most useful in coordination and strategy when the residents of Vault 99 first fled into Newport News. They've since been considered high-ranking and powerful.

Chiefs are in high military command, as well as some involved in political issues. They're always at the back of the army, ordering the raiders and coming up with strategies.

Officers
Officers are under the Chiefs, though they have much the same power. They're named after the Vault Security Officers, who were the most useful in combat when the residents of Vault 99 first fled into Newport News. The people making up the Officers are some of the most combat experienced in the Newport Raiders.

Officers are second to only the Chiefs and Overseers when it comes to military command. They're in charge of training the raiders to fight, as well as being some of the best fighters in the army. They keep order among the raiders during a battle, relaying messages from the Cheifs and punishing those who act out of line - usually with a bullet to the back of the head.

Captains
Captains are raiders who are specially trained by Officers for use of the various naval ships used in the military. While they aren't necessarily skilled in combat, they rarely are involved in combat, instead taking raiders who do participate in fighting to the location they're needed, sometimes providing support with certain weapons on the ships.

Captains can order raiders on their ship, though if they order a raider not on the ship, that raider is not obligated to obey. The Captains are often accompanied by an Officer on their ship.

Raiders
Raiders make up most of the army of the Newport Raiders. They are typically under trained and under equipped, though they make up for that with an unending loyalty and ferociousness. The raiders are lowly members, making up most of the population.

Raiders have little to no power, being forced under the rule of Officers, Chiefs and Overseers. Despite this oppressive rule, they are happy to live as they are, as anything they attack they are allowed to collect spoils from, and keep a respectable amount of. However, a few get over their heads and try to act in ways Officers disapprove of, which typically ends with them lying in the dirt, a bullet in their head.

Slaves
Slaves are the lowest of the low. They are simply wastelanders caught by the Newport Raiders and put to work. Sometimes, the Newport Raiders send them to 'freedom', just to find out that they have a hidden explosive device attached to them that later detonates once they get close enough to anyone else. They are frequently abused by the other ranks, yet they are kept off the frontlines mostly, kept inside the main city as a workforce. Many of the slaves have tried to revolt, yet any attempts are quickly destroyed.

Great Abraham
The Great Abraham is a large pre-war aircraft carrier that was recovered by the Newport Raiders from Fort Eustis. The ship aids them in traveling on the James River, as well as staging large assaults on coastline settlements or battles, spraying machine gun fire and dropping off raiders into the battlefield. While none of the aircrafts are used by them, they certainly make use of the ship to its fullest potential.

Heavily Armed Raiders
The name "Heavily Armed Raiders" isn't coined by the Newport Raiders themselves, rather the outsiders who are attacked by them. Without another name, the raiders carrying power armor and heavy weapons (like miniguns and missile launchers) are feared by wastelanders when they appear. The heavy equipment is gained and stored at Fort Eustis, the military headquarters of the Newport Raiders. It is rumored that the 'Heavily Armed Raiders' can take on a fully grown deathclaw and win.

Naval Ships
Naval Ships are used by the Newport Raiders to their fullest potential. With these, they patroll the James River, as well as performing scouting missions and small attacks. They were gained from the Newport News Shipbuilding Factory and Fort Eustis and were put to use as military units since. Specially trained raiders known as Captains pilot the ships, sailing them expertly across the James River.

Stealth Operators
Stealth Operators are raiders, typically female or children, who are specially trained in the art of disguise and infiltration by the Chiefs. They are never seen on the battlefield, only ever appearing when infiltrating some sort of enemy location. Most of these operators are inside the Naval's territory, spying on them and sabotaging many of their technologies. A few have been spotted outside of Newport territory, typically wandering the wasteland or loitering inside Richmond City and Providence. While they are not special rank-wise, being treated as normal raiders, they are definitely essential to the success of the Newport Raiders.

Relations
The Newport Raiders are, of course, not friendly with anyone outside of their empire. Being consisted mainly out of raiders and slaves, much of the wasteland views them as just another, large raider group. While the Newport Raiders don't directly trade with the outside world, they gain new resources through caravans traveling through Newport News that they ambush and steal from. Despite this, they do accept travelers who wish to join their ranks, and they typically spare those who fight the best during a battle, which they later assimilate into their ranks.

The Newport Raiders are in a long-fought war against the Navals. It was first started in 2276, when they came into conflict with small raiding parites. In 2277 they encountered the Navals once more at Fort Monroe, where they surrounded and cut them off. Later that year, they encountered them in Yorktown, the end of the Naval's territory. They were stuck there in a standstill for months until in 2279 the Virginia Brotherhood of Steel came into their territory. Seeing the potential, the Newport Raiders allowed the Brotherhood to push the Navals out of Yorktown, which was known as the Brotherhood-Naval War, and afterwards they surrounded and battered the Brotherhood inhabiting Yorktown, isolating them. In 2280, they met the Navals once more at Etham, which became the new standstill point between the raider armies, known as the Etham Stalemate.

In 2280, the Newport Raiders met Providence in their expansion north. There, they were restricted from moving forward, the choke points of Charles City, Lanexa, and Slaterville blocking them. Providence remained steadfast in defense, while the Newport Raiders constantly waged attacks on the various border towns, though they had very little success.

The Enclave at Langley Airforce Base have been a threat to them for very long, though the forces there hadn't made a move. The only reason the airforce base hasn't been overrun by the raiders is because the Newport Raiders fear the strength of the Enclave and the technology they are in control of.

The Children of Atom, who reside inside the Dead Lands and control the I-664, are in constant conflict with the Newport Raiders. The I-664 was previously controlled by the raiders, though they were pushed back when the Children of Atom moved into the Dead Lands from the north. Victory Arch marks the point where Newport Raider territory ends and Children of Atom territory begins. The two factions have been in a standstill since 2280.

Technology
The Newport Raiders use a wide range of weapons and armors. Raiders commonly wear reinforced leather armor, or combat armor for more skilled warriors. Most of the army can be seen using traditional weapons such as assault rifles, shotguns, SMGs, etc., though the higher ranking members such as Chiefs and Overseers are often equipped with laser and even plasma weaponry. The 'Heavily Armed Raiders' use heavy weapons such as miniguns and missile launchers, some even wielding a Fat Man in larger battles. The Stealth Operators are also known for using stealth boys sometimes, though it is rare for them to use the expensive equipment, and they only use the devices when in dire need to escape.

After taking control of Fort Eustis and Newport News Shipbuilding in 2277, they were able to repair and build their own ships and boats to sail on rivers, mainly the James River. As well as the boats, they were able to gain multiple stockpiles of weapons from Fort Eustis, mainly the conventional weapons that the army uses but also the laser and plasma weaponry that the higher ranking members use. As well as guns, they gained numerous suits of power armor from the fort, repairing the suits, branding them and using them during large battles.

Fort Eustis also gave the Newport Raiders one of their greatest assets, Great Abraham. Great Abraham is used in large scale military operations along the coastline of the James River, being used to drop of troops and provide fire support. It is heavily armored, the steel from before the war coupled with scrap metal from places such as the Newport News Airport. Great Abraham is their most advanced piece of technology.