Fascist Factions
Fascist factions are civilizations, political groups, or other factions led by a central, supreme leader with ultimate power. They are strongly regimented and hierarchical and any dissent (or perceived dissent) is oppressed. These factions are fiercely nationalistic and believe themselves better than all other groups and often other races (or species). Fictional fascist factions are often used as evil factions and can be found in most world types and genres – from fascist space empires to post-apocalyptic fascist gangs to alternate histories stemming from World War II. Fascist factions are frequently paired with resistance factions seeking to topple their power.
| Synonyms: authoritarian |
| Example Mythonyms: the Iron Shrike, the Legions of Ayn, the Final Reich |
| Factions |
Designing Fictional Fascist Factions
Overview
Fictional fascist factions are often used as an evil faction in fictional worlds. These factions are frequently highly organized and regimented and may pose an extreme threat to the security of the world (if they haven’t already conquered it). Fictional fascist factions are often modeled on the Nazi party of 1920-1945 Germany and themes, motifs, and faction identity pull heavily from this source.
Faction Identity
Fictional fascist factions are often intimately tied to the military as well as being fiercely nationalistic. They may wear military uniforms and may have oaths and mottos designed to invoke loyalty to their country or leader.
Leadership
Fictional fascist factions are often lead by a single charismatic leader. This person may also be genocidal, tyrannical, and paranoid.
Rise of Fascism
Many worldbuilders want to explore the rise of fascist factions in their settings either to establish them as a evil faction or to explore a possibly quite contentious bit of fictional history.
Often fascism begins with a charismatic leader exploiting a segment of the population that feels vulnerable, overlooked, or marginalized. An outside faction (often immigrants, an opposing political party, or another faction) is framed as the cause of all woes and becomes a scapegoat used to unify the fascist faction. There may be an attack (perhaps actually organized and conducted by the fascist faction themselves), blamed on the opposing faction that further cements the factions’ power by portraying them as a victim and justifying any further use of violence to accomplish their goals.
Mad Science
Fictional fascist factions may be involved in the development of new and devastating technologies. Often in fictional worlds these technologies are geared towards the battlefield. New fictional vehicles, super weapons, bioweapons, and more may be generated in the laboratories and weapon manufacturing facilities of fascist factions.
Links to the Occult
Fictional fascist factions may also be occult organizations or have sections within them that specialize in the occult. They may seek strange religious relics or be trying to summon dangerous gods and forces from the great beyond. These artifacts, knowledge, and alliances with paranormal elements may give them an edge in any current war, or help to prolong their reign into the infinite. That is, unless a resistance faction or band of heroes stops them first.
