[Rifts] Some thoughts on the Coalition

Overall, I think the Coalition is a nice set of bad guys, in the sense that they've got a distinctive look, a lot of scary toys, and a suitably odious and belligerent outlook, ensuring the PCs will come in conflict with them. I think there are a few things I would do differently with them than what I've seen in published material.

Let's start with something really basic: I'm not fond of the despot of the Coalition being "the Emperor." That sounds like the leader of, well, an Empire, not a Coalition. My view of the Coalition is as a military dictatorship that perhaps seized power from an earlier, more collaborative group that called itself the Coalition. Prosek might call himself Director, General, or even President, but I'm inclined to prefer something like Supreme Leader or Supreme Commander.

Good paint job for a Coalition robot

I like the idea that the Coalition is, at least rhetorically, out to restore America. There should be an aspect of palingenesis to it in line with the fascist regimes that inspired it. It does bug me it doesn't drape itself more in American symbols, but I can retcon the Coalition flag to be the U.S. stripes with the skull and lighting bolts instead of stars, maybe. 

We are told that (at least in Chi-Town) the majority of Coalition citizens are illiterate. I assume that doesn't mean complete illiteracy, because the art in the original book with its signs and graffiti suggest a level of basic literacy is present. I assume that, transplanted to our society, the average citizen would be considered functionally illiterate, though within their own culture they are not so impaired. Chi-Town, like other cyberpunkish settings, is to a degree post-literate. What the Coalition educational restrictions take from them is an understanding of the past and a level of abstract reasoning and means communicate those thoughts.

The brings me around to Coalition media. I think there is probably a lot of it, but not much of it worthwhile. It will be blatant propaganda when it isn't just vapid. The pervasive TV of American Flagg! seems good inspiration here. As always, sex will sell. I figure Coalition news magazines/morning show sort of lite journalism programs, would do their hiring of effervescent hosts accordingly.