Mega-City One has been the target of violent coups, crime wars, otherworldly onslaughts and foreign invasions – each being the brainchild of a villain wanting to see the city, Justice Department and/or Dredd himself perish... Sov agent Orlok the Assassin nearly brought the city to its knees with the Block Mania drug – a deadly precursor to the invasion from East-Meg forces. Judge Death, a Dark Judge from Deadworld, where life itself is considered a crime and the sentence is death. The sole surviving member of the infamous Angel Gang, Mean Machine Angel is a psychopath with a dial on his forehead regulating his anger levels! Judge Grice was a disgraced Judge who broke out of the high-security prison on the Saturn moon of Titan. He became de facto Chief Judge during his bloody coup. Crime Lord Nero Narcos unleashed what is sometimes referred to as the Second Robot War, tearing the Justice Department apart with his army of lethal drones, and booby-trapping the Judges’ Mark II Lawgivers.

The ranks of the many Mega-City One gangs are made up of juves, punks, and lieutenants amongst others. Starting as early as the tender age of six years old, the majority of juves carry melee weapons although some may have low-grade firearms. Low-level gang members, punks are the foot soldiers of the organisation, acting as extra muscle when necessary. Gang lieutenants coordinate the day-to-day activities of the gang and are usually permitted to organise heists and run their own rackets as long as they bring in the creds and continue to show respect and fealty to the boss.