Insurgency
Overview
The Insurgency are a revolutionary militia that combines the guerrilla tactics of the early Fireflies with the more ruthless methods of factions such as the Blackthorn Gang and the Forsaken Loyalists to create a brutal force that serves as a counterweight on the side of good. Attempting to ensure the downfall of bandits, cannibals and collaborators by any means necessary. The Insurgency is made up of soldiers of hope who have grown tired of losing the war against evil.
Alignment
Chaotic Good - The Insurgents are vigilantes and anti-heroes, fighting for the eradication of evil. Their willingness to punish the guilty by any means necessary adds a morally grey edge, but their mission is ultimately good. Operating outside territorial laws and conventional morality, using whatever tactics are at their disposal, they are undeniably chaotic in pursuit of their mission.
Appearance
Members often wear dark clothes, black facemasks, and spare clothing, allowing them to change their appearance and impersonate others when necessary. Their clothing is usually practical and easy to replace, rather than being a formal uniform. Living on the road gives many members a rugged, minimalist appearance, with mismatched or scavenged clothing being common. The Insurgency is known for making use of whatever they can find, often adapting civilian clothing, uniforms, equipment, and other belongings to suit their needs. This allows members to blend into different environments and avoid being easily identified. Some may appear as ordinary travellers or civilians while others deliberately adopt a more intimidating appearance.
Origins
Rising out of the chaos in Chernarus, and born out of the loss of all hope for a better way, the Insurgency are the natural evolution of good men who've lived for far too long in such a place as Chernarus. The Insurgency was formed in secret by Harry Churches in the aftermath of Pete Roberts' death. The leader of the Fireflies was the last living symbol of hope that Harry himself once preached. In response to his murder, the Insurgency was designed to be the permanent solution to the evils of Chernarus, officially forming on the 11th of May 2026.
Irish was the first member of the Insurgency, and joined after Harry was banned from Pusta, and fell out with the Fireflies. Spending most of their time out west living under a bridge, the two men planned their campaign to make Chernarus a safer and more just place by any means necessary.
Territory
The Insurgency do not have a map claim, but they also do not recognize any existing group claims, and will always favor their own judgement over the rules of any place they may visit. Despite not having a claim of their own, the Insurgency are most commonly seen in the south east of Chernarus, likely because many members are ex-Fireflies, and consider this region their home.
Goals
Their mission is to ensure that psychotic gangs and petty bandits become unwelcome in every corner of Chernarus, and sniff out collaborators using tests to reveal people's courage or cowardice. They will do anything it takes to ensure they achieve their mission. To the Insurgents, this is a mission that too many good people have died for already, and stopping now would be an insult to them.
The Insurgents have seen those who held onto hope meet untimely deaths time and time again. Now as heroes continue to hold back and neutrals refuse to take a stand, the Insurgency have come to believe radical action is the only remaining solution. Until the day when all of Chernarus will unite against evil, everywhere is war.
Values
Sacrifice. Survival in this world demands suffering, and all who have endured long enough understand this truth. What is less widely understood among those who strive for a better future is that victory also demands sacrifice. This may include the sacrifice of conscience or personal morality when necessary, as evil must be driven back regardless of cost. Future generations will not remember us as those who failed to remove such evils from existence for any reason other than death.
Retribution. It is not only the duty of the group to bring violent rampages and atrocities to an end, but also an act undertaken with conviction. The world records its debts in subtle and inevitable ways; what may be dismissed as misfortune is, in truth, the consequence of accumulated actions and choices. When retribution comes, those who have shown no mercy will receive none in return.
Solidarity. The group recognizes all individuals and factions who share a comparable outrage toward global injustices as potential allies, provided their intent is proven genuine. Where cooperation is established, support may extend to funding or assisting allied causes, with the expectation of reciprocal commitment where possible. Those who fight in pursuit of justice are to be supported in kind, and those deemed righteous are to be remembered accordingly.
History
Following its formation, the Insurgency began a campaign against bandit factions and the groups they believed supported them. Their earliest conflict was with the Woodsmen, whom the Insurgency observed providing aid and sanctuary to groups including the Blackthorn Gang, the Carnival, and the Forsaken Loyalists. The conflict also carried historical significance, as many members of the Insurgency were former Fireflies who retained a longstanding grievance over the desecration of Bart's grave.
The Woodsmen became the first target of the Insurgency's campaign. Insurgents carried out repeated guerrilla attacks against the Woodsmen Embassy over several months, seeking to pressure the group into changing their policies. In response, the Woodsmen progressively reinforced the Embassy's defenses, which the Insurgency viewed as evidence that their campaign was having an effect, making the Embassy safer and the Woodsmen more willing to fight.
On the 19th June 2026, representatives of both groups met in an attempt to negotiate an end to the conflict. During the meeting, Monk attempted to appeal to Harry Churches and Irish, referencing their reputations as former members of the Fireflies to convince them to stop the attacks. The Insurgency, however, maintained that peace would only be possible if the Woodsmen prohibited all bandit factions from using the Embassy. Providing a list of groups the Woodsmen needed to ban. The Woodsmen refused, and hostilities continued.
On the same day, two recent recruits, Roy and Tino, were promoted to the rank of Apprentice. The rank served as the first stage of advancement within the Insurgency, with Apprentices working alongside more experienced members to learn the group's tactics, ideology, and methods before being entrusted with greater responsibility. Tino was assigned to train under Harry Churches, while Roy was mentored by Irish. The arrangement helped foster close bonds between the senior members and their apprentices, contributing to a strong sense of camaraderie within the group. Shortly afterwards, Tino, who had been meeting secretly with Johnny McKall, began providing Harry Churches with information regarding the activities of HOST in northern Chernarus. During these exchanges, Tino learned that Johnny had cut flesh from his own body and offered it to DAMN in an attempt to appease the group and prevent further violence. Viewing this as evidence that HOST had become subservient to hostile factions, Harry resolved to intervene.
On the 5th of July 2026, Tino arranged a meeting with Johnny and brought him to a second location where the Insurgency was waiting. Harry confronted Johnny over HOST's conduct, particularly their support of Dark As Midnight and the Forsaken Loyalists, arguing that the group's willingness to submit to hostile factions made them no different from livestock. To reinforce the point, Harry cut Johnny's face with a knife, stating that livestock are ultimately butchered and warning that HOST would meet the same fate if they continued on their current path.
Johnny was then taken hostage while the Insurgency demanded that HOST launch an attack against Dark As Midnight in exchange for his release. Following negotiations, and HOST’s agreement to continue carrying out attacks against hostile factions, Johnny was released. Despite the circumstances, he expressed sympathy for the Insurgency's objective of resisting hostile groups and agreed to encourage HOST to take a more active role in opposing them. In return, Harry stated that the Insurgency would support HOST should they remain true to their word, but warned that if the group failed to honour the agreement, the Insurgency would return to kill them. During all of this, the Fireflies had maintained an active warrant for the arrest of Harry Churches, citing the increasingly uncompromising methods employed by Harry even before he began the Insurgency. Though many members of both groups were close, tensions continued to rise, and conflict appeared increasingly likely.
With HOST having failed to meet the Insurgency’s demands, several Insurgents went north where they intercepted Vega in Svergino. He was held at gunpoint, disarmed, and escorted to Nagornoye for questioning. During the interrogation, Tino contacted HOST over the radio and informed them that it was time to face the consequences of their inaction. Vega denied having any ties to the Forsaken Loyalists, despite being questioned over his alleged affiliations. Tino was prepared to execute Vega following the interrogation, however, Roy intervened and suggested that Vega be conscripted into the Insurgency instead. Although initially reluctant, Tino agreed to the proposal, sparing Vega's life and placing him under Tino's watch. Vega was subsequently taken away from HOST and conscripted to serve the Insurgency's mission.
On the 15th of August 2026, the Insurgency intercepted Rusty and Gideon after observing them leave the Woodsmen Embassy. Rusty was knocked unconscious and Gideon was taken hostage. Harry confronted Gideon over the Woodsmen's decision to allow the Insurgency's enemies into the south, rejecting his justification that the group had "changed." Harry accused him of abandoning his ideals, protecting Wade from justice, and disregarding the significance of the desecration of Bart's grave. Harry told Gideon that when justice is prevented, all that remains is revenge, before cutting his face with a knife.
Gideon was then forced to throw a grenade into Green Mountain before being allowed to leave. During the journey back, Harry explained the reasons behind founding the Insurgency, describing his belief that people must stand together against those who prey upon them, before releasing Gideon. He briefly removed his mask and told Gideon that it was good to see him again and called him an old friend, before putting his mask back on and letting him go.
Gideon listened to the Insurgency’s message. No longer content to sit on the sidelines while good men and women continued to die, Gideon returned home and decided that the Woodsmen would no longer welcome bandit groups at the Embassy. This decision was met with strong disagreement within the Woodsmen, eventually resulting in an altercation between Gideon and Rusty. The confrontation escalated to the point where both men drew their firearms, although neither ultimately fired.
On the 22nd of August 2026, Rusty and Jack of the Woodsmen visited the Clowns in an attempt to smooth over the situation and apologise for Gideon’s actions. However, the Clowns threatened to torture Gideon. In that moment, Jack realised that the only thing holding him back was his own pride, and decided that the Insurgency had been right all along. He raised his weapon and shot down three Clowns before fleeing the compound, stating that he could be found with Harry Churches.
Jack subsequently sought out the Insurgency for assistance, unsure of what to do next. He had abandoned his armband following the attack, as he initially did not want the Woodsmen to be blamed for the shooting. After being reassured that he had done the right thing, Tino and Roy instructed him to return to the Embassy, where he would join Gideon and assist the Insurgency in their efforts to unite the South.
The unexpected success of Gideon’s recruitment did not go unnoticed by the other powers in the region. The Fireflies recognized how deeply the division had affected the South and escalated their efforts to confront the Insurgency over the instability they believed it was creating. After months of attempted negotiations and discussions with different requests being made and the same answers repeatedly given, neither side seemed capable of reaching an understanding with the other.
It appeared increasingly likely that the Insurgency and the Fireflies were on a path towards war. This all culminated on the 31st of August at the Cherno docks when Henry was approached by several Fireflies. Tino revealed himself and attempted to defuse the situation. The Fireflies made several demands before eventually raising their weapons against Tino and Henry. Tino drew his own weapon, only to be swiftly shot down. Although he survived, the war had now begun.
On the 5th of September the Insurgency met underneath the bridge where the Insurgency was born to promote four members. Tino and Roy, had proven they understood the values of the Insurgency and were promoted to full ranking members. On the same day Vega had told the truth about HOST’s dealings with the Forsaken Loyalists and he too was promoted from a conscript to an initiate. Santiago was then taken in as Irish’s new apprentice after Roy.
Deeply unsettled by what had happened to his apprentice, Harry was prepared to burn Pusta to the ground and authorised several small-scale attacks against the Fireflies following the shooting of Tino and Henry. One notable attack involved throwing a grenade over the wall of their base. However, the Legionaries and Nightshade, mutual allies of both the Fireflies and the Insurgency intervened before the conflict escalated. They arranged a meeting with the Fireflies in Chernogorsk at the Legionaries' base on the 9th of September. The Insurgency were snuck in, and revealed themselves during the meeting. The three groups confronted the Fireflies with an ultimatum: stop interfering with the Insurgency or die.
Richard Ward, the new leader of the Fireflies, was outraged by the terms of the agreement and drew his weapon in protest. However, he was immediately tased by the other Fireflies in an attempt to prevent a massacre. The other Fireflies reluctantly agreed to the terms unconditionally.
While the agreement remained unstable, the new political dynamic effectively established the Insurgency as an undisputed powerhouse in the South. With the dissenting Woodsmen in self-imposed exile, the Insurgency controlled Prigorodki, and being allied with both the Legionaries and Nightshade, along with several community camps and trader groups on the southern coast supporting or accept their methods, the Insurgency began expanding its influence into other parts of Chernarus.
Notable Members
Harry Churches - Founder and leader of the Insurgency. Former leader of the Fireflies, Harry established the Insurgency following the death of Pete Roberts after concluding that hope was not an effective tool for change. Believing that evil must be eradicated rather than contained, he transformed years of experience fighting bandits into a campaign of relentless guerrilla warfare. Under his leadership, the Insurgency has become feared for its uncompromising methods, willingness to strike from the shadows, and refusal to tolerate those who aid or shelter violent factions.
Irish - Harry's oldest friend and second-in-command of the Insurgency. A veteran of the Fireflies and one of the few who shared Harry's increasingly ruthless outlook, Irish stood by him after his departure from the group and helped establish the Insurgency. Known for his loyalty, combat experience, and willingness to carry out the group's harsh methods, he serves as Harry's closest confidant and has played a central role in shaping the organization’s tactics and culture.
Tino - Tino was the first apprentice of Harry Churches, having left the Fireflies after coming to believe that their good nature would ultimately be their downfall. Disillusioned and lost, he eventually met Harry and found a new purpose. Tino believed he could take on the uglier parts of the world in their place, allowing the Fireflies to remain untouched by them. In Harry, he found someone who could teach him not only how to shoulder that burden, but how to carry it without being consumed by it.
Roy - Roy was the first apprentice of Irish, having been a part of several neutral factions including the Northern Oasis and the Helping Hand, Roy became disillusioned by their ways. After being forced to play a game with the Carnival, and losing, the ringmaster of the Clowns, Worm cut off his testicles. This traumatic experience left Roy deeply unsure of his place in the world. Though he sought revenge, no group he was in seemed willing to support him, until he met the Insurgency and began a new chapter in his life.
Relationships
The Fireflies - The Insurgency traces its origins directly to the Fireflies, with many of its founding members having once served within the group. While both organizations seek to oppose the worst elements of Chernarus, they differ sharply in their methods. The Fireflies continue to uphold ideals of hope, justice, and restraint, whereas the Insurgency believes that such principles have repeatedly failed, embracing ruthless tactics instead. Despite the ideological divide, many members of both groups retain close personal friendships, creating a complicated relationship defined by reluctant mutual respect, deep disagreements, and high tensions.
The Black Sheep - The Insurgency regard the Black Sheep as one of the few groups in Chernarus that consistently stand against bandit factions. While the two organizations maintain their independence and differ in philosophy, they share many common enemies and generally view one another as allies in the wider struggle against violent factions. The Insurgency considers the Black Sheep to be among the strongest remaining forces for good in Chernarus.
The Woodsmen - The Woodsmen were the first organized group targeted by the Insurgency. The conflict stemmed not only from past crimes, but from the Woodsmen's policy of providing sanctuary to all travelers regardless of affiliation, including groups the Insurgency considered irredeemably evil. Viewing this neutrality as enabling violent factions, the Insurgency launched a prolonged guerrilla campaign against the Woodsmen Embassy, demanding that known bandit organizations be denied refuge. After the conscription of Gideon however the Woodsmen were convinced to fight alongside the Insurgency.
The Legionaries - While the Insurgency views the Legionaries with suspicion the two have been known to work together, sharing mutual enemies and allies, an alliance was a natural next step. It was this alliance that brought much of the south under the control of their groups, however Harry Churches remained deeply distrustful of Artyom Petrovka, viewing him as a dangerous and power-hungry man who would need to be kept from gaining too much power.