🏭 Rancho Coronado
“Used to be the ultimate Beaverville. Now it’s tent cities where minimalls used to be. The American Dream, choomba.”
Rancho Coronado is a sub-district of Santo Domingo District. Once the epitome of corporate suburban living — identical homes stretching to the horizon — the War transformed it into a crowded refuge for displaced workers, where tent cities have grown out of the corpses of trendy mini-malls.
📋 Overview
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Parent District | Santo Domingo District |
| Zone Type | Industrial / Suburban |
| Dominant Gang | 6th Street |
| Population | Corporate workers, refugees, veterans |
| Threat Level | Low to Moderate |
📜 History: The Ultimate Beaverville
Before the War (2020s)
Rancho Coronado was the ultimate Beaverville — the cyberpunk slang for a sterile corporate suburb where everything is identical and everyone belongs to the Corp.
| Era | Character |
|---|---|
| Location | South of Night City, on Highway 126 |
| Layout | Miles of tract housing, small malls |
| Population | Corporate employees — Arasaka, Petrochem, Biotechnica, WNS, EBM |
| Housing | Identical three-bedroom prefabs stretching to the horizon |
| Atmosphere | Featureless, controlled, boring |
“Rancho Coronado was the kind of place that made most Edgerunners break out into a cold sweat just thinking about it.” — Cyberpunk RED Core Rulebook
After the War (2045)
The nuke and the War changed everything. Rancho Coronado became one of the main destinations for refugees fleeing the destroyed city center. Now it’s a different kind of nightmare:
| Transformation | Description |
|---|---|
| Mini-malls | Converted to industrial zones or torn down |
| Empty lots | Tent cities, refugee camps |
| Housing | Overcrowded, multiple families per unit |
| Infrastructure | Strained beyond capacity |
| Security | 6th Street provides what NCPD won’t |
🏙️ Layout in 2045
The Old Subdivisions
The original tract housing still stands — rows of identical pastel bungalows, now faded and worn. Most are overcrowded with refugees or subdivided into multiple family units.
| Feature | Status |
|---|---|
| Lawns | Dead or synthetic |
| Streets | Cracked, poorly maintained |
| Curbs | Still have faded numbers from the old days |
| Power | Unreliable, frequent brownouts |
The Tent Cities
Where mini-malls and parking lots once stood, sprawling tent cities have grown. These unregulated camps house thousands of refugees who couldn’t find or afford other housing.
| Camp Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Population | Thousands per camp |
| Services | Minimal — shared water, no sewage |
| Crime | High — gangs recruit here |
| Aid | Occasional Corp PR ops, charity groups |
| Atmosphere | Desperate, on edge |
Industrial Zones
Factory complexes have expanded into former residential and retail areas. Smokestacks now rise where fast-food joints once stood.
| Facility | Notes |
|---|---|
| Petrochem plants | CHOOH2 processing |
| Kendachi facilities | Manufacturing |
| Salvage yards | Scrap recycling |
| Warehouses | Storage, some gang-controlled |
👥 Society
Corporate Workers
The original Beaverville residents were corporate employees. Their descendants still work the factories — but the comfortable suburban dream is long dead.
| Aspect | Description |
|---|---|
| Employment | Factory shifts, 12+ hours |
| Loyalty | Corporate conditioning runs deep |
| Housing | Company-assigned or inherited |
| Attitude | Resentful but dependent |
Refugees
The War created a massive displaced population. Many ended up here and never left.
| Origin | Notes |
|---|---|
| Corporate Center survivors | Lost everything in the blast |
| Watson overflow | Couldn’t get into megabuildings |
| Nomad settlers | Some gave up road life |
| South Night City escapees | Fled Combat Zone conditions |
Veterans
Rancho Coronado has a strong veteran population — many who helped found 6th Street when NCPD abandoned the area.
⚔️ 6th Street Control
6th Street was born here. Founded by veterans to protect their neighborhoods when law enforcement gave up, they’ve evolved into something between a militia and a gang.
| Role | Activity |
|---|---|
| Protection | Patrol the streets, enforce order |
| Security | Hired by some factories |
| Smuggling | Move goods through industrial areas |
| Recruitment | Draw from refugee camps |
Rules of 6th Street
| Rule | Consequence |
|---|---|
| No drugs (hard) | Dealers get beat down |
| No harming workers | Bad for the community |
| Respect the flag | Patriotic theater matters |
| Pay your dues | ”Protection” isn’t free |
🌆 Atmosphere
Day
- Factory smoke haze over everything
- Workers heading to/from shifts
- Kids playing in fenced yards
- American flags (faded, tattered) on porches
- 6th Street patrols on muscle cars
- Line at the water distribution point
Night
- Quieter — workers are exhausted
- Tent city campfires
- Factory lights running 24/7
- 6th Street more visible, more aggressive
- Refugees staying close to shelters
Sounds
- Machinery hum (constant)
- Traffic on Highway 126
- Dogs barking
- Kids playing
- Gunfire (sometimes, usually 6th Street handling problems)
Smells
- Factory smoke
- Synthetic grass
- CHOOH2 exhaust
- Cooking from tent cities (kibble, vat-meat)
⚠️ Dangers
| Hazard | Description |
|---|---|
| Industrial Accidents | Chemical spills, machinery failures |
| Pollution | Air quality is terrible |
| Gang Violence | 6th Street vs outsiders |
| Refugee Desperation | Theft, assault in tent cities |
| Factory Security | Corps protect their property aggressively |
🎲 GM Resources
Job Hooks
| Hook | Details |
|---|---|
| Factory Theft | Steal something from a facility |
| Missing Person | Find someone in the tent cities |
| Gang Diplomacy | Negotiate with 6th Street |
| Labor Dispute | Pick a side in a strike |
| Refugee Extraction | Get someone out before they’re recruited |
Location Ideas
| Location | Notes |
|---|---|
| The Last Mall | Abandoned retail, squatter haven |
| Veteran’s Bar | 6th Street hangout, neutral ground |
| Camp Freedom | Large tent city, ironic name |
| Petrochem Plant #7 | Factory, security is tight |
| The Old Subdivision | Original housing, overcrowded |
🔗 Related Topics
- Santo Domingo District — Parent district
- 6th Street — Dominant gang
- Petrochem — Major employer
- Biotechnica — Historical employer
- Corporate Suburbs — The pre-war lifestyle
(Source: Cyberpunk RED Core Rulebook, pp. 290, 295, 306)