New Austin

The Desert State

Experience the heat of New Austin's unforgiving desert in a landscape of red rock and high sun. Only the toughest travelers survive the arid wilderness. Then cool off in the creeks and grazing land of Hennigan's Stead. There are a couple of small settlements situated in this area but they are pretty far in between. Even for the horses this land is hard to travel due to all the rocks and gravel and the intense heat. One should never travel here without a water supply.
However it is the perfect place to hunt for lizard and snake skins but one must always keep out an eye for the infamous Del Lobos Gang that likes to claim this place as their territory.   The state of New Austin is located in the south-west part of the map. This state is characterized as a largely rugged and arid desert in the process of westward expansion. As such, there is an expected presence of wild animals and outlaws. Armadillo and Tumbleweed are the main settlements of the territory, although it is generally fairly rural; by the time of Redemption 2, it is the second only to Ambarino as the most sparsely populated region. Major industries in New Austin include farming, ranching, oil, and transportation. The State has attracted some immigrants (domestic and foreign) to work on the railways and other developments occurring. New Austin also acts as a key region between US and Mexico trade. There are hints of the territory's previous Spanish/Mexican heritage, in terms of place names and architecture.   By the start of the 20th century, the region is going through some hard times, as Armadillo has been hit by a cholera outbreak, and the Del Lobo Gang run frequent and terrorize civilians indiscriminately, with law enforcement and government being quite weak in responding to the crisis in the territory. Tumbleweed is the region's major settlement by this time, competing with Armadillo for a key railway connection.   By 1911, however, New Austin has stabilized somewhat, as Armadillo recovers from the outbreak and expands, winning the key railway connection and becoming a major hub of commerce and settlement in the area. However, Tumbleweed becomes abandoned and is overrun by more hostile gangs, and while law enforcement is somewhat stronger, they still struggle to cope with the many outlaws that still inhabit the region.   New Austin lies between Nuevo Paraíso to the south and West Elizabeth to the northeast. It comprises four regions: Cholla Springs, Gaptooth Ridge, Hennigan's Stead, and Río Bravo. South of New Austin is the San Luis River, which acts as a natural border to Nuevo Paraíso. New Austin is also bordered to the east by Flat Iron Lake, which leads to the Lannahechee River and gives New Austin key water links to the rest of the United States. New Austin is bordered to the north by the Redemption Mountains, while the Sea of Coronado and more mountains border it to the west, giving the region a greater feel of isolation and remoteness.