Badlands (region)

This article is about the Greater Badlands region where much of the Gravel War takes place. For other uses, see Badlands (disambiguation).

Badlands
Information
Country: United States State: New Mexico

“

Only a moron would live here. — Saxton Hale, preeminent Badlands resident

”

Badlands is a fictional geographic region, nominally placed in New Mexico, USA. Referred to as the Casualty Capital of the West, it is the location of several game maps, the city of Teufort, Mann Co. headquarters, and hundreds of other Mann Co facilities. It is the location of several elements of the Storyline.

Notable features

See also: Map of Badlands

Badlands feature canyons, ravines, gullies, and hoodoos

The Badlands Region encompasses a central valley surrounded by several forested mountain ranges. This valley is not only the heart of the region's larger population centers, but it also acts as a nexus for smaller settlements, key facilities, and valuable resources tucked into the surrounding mountains and further afield. To the west and northwest, the landscape is marked by a significant river, whose waters are deep and wide enough to accommodate ocean-going vessels. Typically, the term badland evokes images of landscapes deeply scarred by erosion, where thick deposits of soft rock or soil have been worn away, creating a natural barrier to agriculture and transport. Such areas are usually synonymous with arid or desert climates, characterized by vividly colored shales.The Badlands Region conforms to this description yet stands out with its unique geology. Here, the predominant red sandstones and robust blue shales give rise to dramatic steeper bluffs, iconic hoodoos, and precariously balanced rocks. Beyond these distinctive badland features, the region encompasses a variety of terrains, from the red granite tors of Badwater Basin to the towering ranges of Thunder Mountain, down to the expansive, flat farmlands of 2Fort.

Map of Badlands

Despite the predominant aridity and sparse vegetation, the Badlands Region defies expectations with a surprisingly broad and fertile valley stretching from Well to Teufort. This valley is bounded in places by forested mountain ranges, with the Thunder Mountains in the Northwest soaring to heights sufficient to achieve an Alpine climate. Within these diverse landscapes, the region is dotted with five main settlements: Badwater Basin, Dustbowl, Gravel Pit, Teufort — with a population of 1,280 — and Well.

While much of the region lacks soil and isn’t fit for farming, the area around Teufort in the northeast is an exception, with its successful agricultural activities. This zone is particularly known for its robust red wheat and blue corn, cultivated for ocean export via the state-of-the-art Granary facilities. Moreover, the Badlands is rich in natural resources, with extensive gravel deposits being extracted at Gravel Pit, while separate mining operations for coal, gold, and other minerals are concentrated in the Badwater Basin and Dustbowl areas.

Points of interest

• The Alamo
• Eye Museum
• The Badlands Correctional Institute, a maximum security prison previously imprisoning Merasmus

Sports

• Badland Brawlers, a sports team.

Notable people

• Saxton Hale, CEO of Mann Co.
• Blutarch Mann, owner of Builders League United.
• Redmond Mann, owner of Reliable Excavation Demolition.

Notes

• The existence and geography of the region are revealed by the Map of Badlands in the Engineer Update pages.
• Select Reserve Mann Co. Supply Crates list Teufort, Gravelpit, Badwater Basin, and Dustbowl as addressable settlements.
• Merasmus' return address for Trade-up is in Gravel Pit, New Mexico, USA.

Gallery

• 

  The Badlands Holiday Reader

• 

  Halloween 2012 Tuefort Reader

• 

  The Badlands Bugle Herald-Tribune

• 

  The Alamo, won by Saxton Hale in a poker game and relocated to the Badlands.

• 

  The outside of the Badlands Correctional Institute, with the graveyard of attempted escapees.

See also

• Badlands maps (Shadow Boxers)
• Storyline
• Teufort (city)