Pioneer
Pioneer is an old, well-established city-state in the UMF which never saw the phenomenal growth rates of many Northern cities. Pioneer is often said to have an “antique” charm because of its winding cobblestone roads and mountain villas and chalets. Due to its proximity to the north pole and its high altitude, Pioneer’s average temperature ranges between -5°C and 5°C. The peaks around Pioneer are constantly snow covered, allowing the city to offer visitors the rare treat of winter sports.
Pioneer’s economy relies upon two key industries: tourism and hydroponics. The city is the largest ski resort on Terra Nova. Local entrepreneurs also organize other cold weather activities such as snowshoeing expeditions, cold weather camping and snowball fights. Since Pioneer is also one of the most expensive resorts on Terra Nova, most visitors only come here on special trips such as honeymoons or wedding anniversaries.
Because of their city’s frigid weather, the citizens of Pioneer are forced to grow their food in hydroponic greenhouses. In order to make these greenhouses economically viable, the locals cultivate many Earth plants that cannot normally be grown on Terra Nova. One of the unusual local foods is honey. Immense clover and flower-filled greenhouses house honeybee hives. Some of this honey is blended with spices, bottled and allowed to ferment while buried in the local snow to produce mead, one of the most expensive drinks on Terra Nova.
Pioneer is also attractive to enthusiast of military history. On 19 Summer TN 1669 an armored force of Western and Norlight troops attacked Pioneer as apart of a campaign to put an end to the “Mercantile threat.” The UMF Army was taken off guard, most of its forces having been stationed to protect the capital of Lyonnesse, and could only reply with a small force. Among these forces, however, were modified engineering walkers — Hardhat models — that proved deadly on the broken tundra of the pole. Over the next four days, the walker pilots of the UMFA played the deciding role in repelling the enemy force. The Mercantile military immediately launched a program to build a dedicated military walker — the program that would create the first Hunter Gear.