Judge Dredd - Sector 13 Overview

Sector 13 will be the setting of my upcoming Judge Dredd campaign. Sector 13 is located in Meg-Central of  Mega City One bordered by Sectors 11, 12, 14 and, in Meg-East, Sector 57. Note that the south-east corner of Sector 13 touches the north-west corner of Sector 1, home of the Grand Hall of Justice. It is in the old state of New Jersey, bordering the island of Manhattan and the old conurb of New York. The sector is bifurcated by the north-south axis of the Superslab and its eastern border (with Sector 14) is marked by the old Delaware River. The river, dreadfully polluted, has been sealed over by almost a century of Mega City Building. The Delaware is nicknamed the "Big Greasy" by Sector 13 citizens and is known to be infested with rad-rats, mutated fish, lizards and other unpleasantness. Sector 13 is also close to the Eustace Fargo Spaceport, which makes it one of the first ports of call for returning spacers, alien tourists and disembarking passengers - as well as a retreat for perps looking to get of world asap. 

Sector 13 at a glance.
Population. 1.5 million.
Major Roads. Mega City Superslab (90km length), Buddy Abbot Megway, Aaron Burr Megway, Davey Copperfield Megway, Whitney Houston Mega-Circular, Norm Mailer Megway Intersect, Dionne Warwick Xpress Tunnel, Alfie Stieglitz Skedway and Phil Roth Overzoom.
Notable Industries. Gud-U-Feel Pharmacology, MC1 Chemdustries, Mikrodyne Engineering, Nervotek Chemicals, Randallson Pharmaceuticals, Sensen Electronics, Van-Dan-Meer Industrial Supplies and Videoshack Consumer Durables.
Sector13 has seven major city blocks and around a dozen smaller blocks (conapts, luxy-blocks, crock-blocks and so on). The seven city blocks are:
Buzz Aldrin Block
Population. 35,000. 
Block Assembly. BABS (Buzz Aldrin Block Syndicate).
Allies. Jimmy Gandolfini.
Enemies. Dotty Parker.
Fashioned in the shape of the ancient Saturn 5 moon rocket (but a taller, wider, more bloated version of it), Buzz Aldrin believes itself to be the foremost of all the Sector 13 blocks purely due to the fact that the man it is named after was one of the first men to visit the moon and thus is a national hero. Clearly such an auspicious individual is watching over a city block named after him and so the Buzzers consider themselves superior in just about every respect to the other six blocks.
Buzz Aldrin Block is close to Dotty Parker and Jimmy Gandolfini blocks. Its natural enemy is Dotty Parker. Relations between Buzz Aldrin and Jimmy Gandolfini blocks are cordial - almost friendly, but that is likely because Jimmy Gandolfini Block has had its own spats with Dotty Parker in the past couple of years.
Jon Bon Jovi Block
Population. 42,000
Block Assembly. Lost Highwaymen
Allies. Zeb Pike
Enemies. Bruce Springsteen
One of the two "Rock Blocks", (the other being Bruce Springsteen Block). Jon Bon Jovi (or JBJ) Block is enthralled by the legend that was 20th Century's foremost rock-god-superstar. Jon Bon Jovi who legend says was born and raised in the old city that lies beneath JBJ's foundations (a pack of complete lies but who's to argue?). JBJ Block is stuck in a groove. The holy music of Jon Bon Jovi is pumped through every corridor, plaza and apartment floors in the block.
Hated enemy of JBJ is Bruce Springsteen Block, which claims that Bruce, not Jon, is the REAL god of rock and roll and continually point out that, when alive, Bruce was known as The Boss, thereby sealing his credentials. JBJ refutes this, pointing out that JBJ inspired billions with his hairstyle and single-handedly brought about world peace with his iconic song Keep the Faith (JBJ's Block anthem).
Lloyd H Conover Block
Population. 38,000
Block Assembly. LHC Block Rep Committee
Allies. None
Enemies. Jimmy Gandolfini
Lloyd H Conover Block has the dubious reputation of having the lowest crime rate in the whole of Sector 13; dubious, because as everyone in Sector 13 knows, everyone in LHC is an inveterate liar. Street gossip has it that LHC Block lies about everything; it has the wealthiest citizens (disputed by Dotty Parker), it has the biggest dramarena (Springsteen's is bigger and has a better PA), it has the highest employment (nope, Gandolfini's is a staggering 1.5%, double LHC's). Lies. LHC residents perpetrate them every time they open their mouths.
There is no doubting that LHC has one thing that is undisputed: the highest rate of Justice Department sanctioned snitchers and peepers. Justice Department relies on LHC for around 5% of its tip-offs and there is an entire floor (level C) that consists of residents who do nothing all day but train telescopes, monoculars and bugs on the streets and plaza surrounding their block and snitch to the Sector House to their heart's content. Consequently, Jimmy Gandolfini Block hates LHC with a vengeance.

Sector 13 with the dark coloured Lloyd H Conover Block visible in the middle distance.

Jimmy Gandolfini Block
Population. 42,000
Block Assembly. JG Choir Assembly
Allies. Buzz Aldrin
Enemies. Lloyd H Conover
The real rotten apple in the Sector 13 barrel, Jimmy Gandolfini is run by the Contralto Crew, the sector's largest criminal gang. At the head of the crew is Max Contralto, overweight, lugubrious but with a sharp brain and a history of violence. Max is smart, just as his predecessors, Junior, Angio, Luigi and Antonelli were smart. The Crew has ensured that all its rackets, scams and crimes are insulated from the block through elaborate, painstakingly crafted shell companies, front organisations (who do "charitable works", sometimes with las-cutters) and well-placed bribes. The Judges know the Contraltos are rotten; but there is insufficient evidence to pull down the head man - Max and his cousins (and capos), Pauli, Stevie, Gus and Kris.
The Contraltos ensure that Jimmy Gandolfini Block  works, both in terms of efficiency and employment. The Crew runs the labour centres for Eustace Fargo Spaceport and around 400 of the spaceport's human workers are from Gandolfini. These lucky citizens therefore serve the Crew's interest at the spaceport in rackets like perp running, Stookie Glanding, arms importation, illegal substance importation and all manner of other crimes that get lost in the morass of a busy, inefficient spaceport hub.
Dotty Parker Block
Population. 50,000
Block Assembly. DP Representative Forum
Allies. Bruce Springsteen
Enemies. Buzz Aldrin
An old, proud block, resembling a malformed gherkin atop a slice of lumpy rye bread, Dotty Parker is the most populous of the Sector 13 blocks and every bit as aloof as its enemy, Buzz Aldrin. In most respects, Dotty Parker is an average city block; over-populated, under-employed, over-zealous and filled with a sense of its own importance. Its greatest claim to fame is that S-13VB Studios are located on the mid-level of the block and it broadcasts to the whole of Sector 13 and beyond. Run by the formidable Agnes Lamprey (who is also president-for-life of the DP Reps Forum), its vid output is staggering: hit shows like Swap my Spouse, Never Mind the Hitchcocks, Guthrie's Comedy Die-In and Resyk Blues are syndicated city wide and it boasts a vault full of Meggies (Mega City One vid show awards) in all major categories.
Agnes Lamprey controls Dotty Parker Block like a personal fiefdom. Prestigious jobs in her studios go to those whom she favours - and she does not necessarily favour competence. The DP Reps Forum merely acts on her instructions and the residents of Dotty Parker have zero say in the block's affairs. Agnes rules the roost from her summit suite penthouse (occupying an entire double-letter level) and there she entertains the great, the good and the popular from across Mega City One.
Zeb Pike Block
Population. 33,000
Block Assembly. Zeb Citizen's Forum
Allies. Jon Bon Jovi
Enemies. Bruce Springsteen
A sparkling new block, Zeb Pike houses the Mega City One Central Memorial Hospital, a state-of-the-art medical facility that acts as the main hospital for the Eustace Fargo Spaceport. The hospital occupies all 102 floors of the east wing whilst the residential west wing houses the populace. Because of the hospital, Zeb Pike is careful to stay out of Block Wars, although that does not stop it from allying with Jon Bon Jovi Block against Bruce Springsteen. It is difficult to discern the motive for this alliance but it exists nonetheless. It may be down to the fact that when the block was built, some Jon Bon Jovi overspill was allocated to Zeb Pike and old allegiances die hard.
Being such a recent block, Zeb Pike is designed to be maintenance-free and has some of the most advanced automated maintenance facilities of any block within a hundred sectors. The hospital's maintenance facilities are part of the overall block circuitry and so the residential wing benefits from first-rate cleaning robotic clearing and repair facilities as well as assured power, with back-up 24/7. Apartment rents are higher in Zeb Pike than the other blocks and so it attracts wealthier citizens but for the most part the block is as normal as one can get for a Mega City One city block. It has all mod-cons, including a Palais-de-Boing and this makes Lloyd H Conover exceedingly jealous.
Bruce Springsteen Block
Population. 29,000
Block Assembly. The E Street Band
Allies. Dotty Parker
Enemies. Jon Bon Jovi, Zeb Pike
Second of the Rock Blocks, Bruce Springsteen Block is a parody of a guitar-shape and proudly flies, at the very top of its Citi-Def emplacement, a massive flag emblazoned with the words "The Boss Lives" in abject defiance of neighbouring Jon Bon Jovi Block across E Street Plaza. Like JBJ, Springsteen is named after the rock legend of the 20th Century born in the vicinity of the Old City. it is a working-class block (a contradiction in terms, as less than 0.5% of its citizens have a job) and like JBJ, the ancient old rocker forms the basis of the E Street Cult - those who worship Bruce's music, scathing lyrical attacks on the old culture of America and die-hard left-leaning patriotism.
The block is run on semi-democratic lines by the E Street Band, an elected council, that is meant to represent each level of the block but, in reality, represents only those who are true Boss fanatics. In truth, the E Street Band runs the block reasonably well and does not, thankfully, insist on Springsteen songs being piped through the building morning, noon and night - as does JBJ. In fact, any practice JBJ Block adopts, Springsteen rejects just to be different.

I have loads more notes about these blocks, including many of their dirty secrets, which may or may not be revealed as my campaign advances. Sector House 13 will be highlighted in my next post. Other areas of interest in Sector 13 will appear when required in scenarios I run. I should confess that all of this info comes from the Judge Dredd Role-Playing Game produced by Mongoose Publishing and utilising the Traveller rules system. This Mongoose books starts off in the year 2130, whereas the WOIN game starts in the year 2099, the year of Dredd's first adventures, so some adjustments have been made.