Campaign Operations- Command Rights

[Stubram]

Anyone got any ideas how to best reflect different Command Rights when playing TW?  E.g. Integrated Command - player has -1 (or however much) Initiative? Liaison - loss of reputation if the liaison dies? Anyone got any tried and proven ideas? Or just some fresh ones? 

Cheers guys.

[Cryhavok101]

I generally don't have them matter very much unless role playing is also involved, then it just reflects how the relationship with your employer is structured, and you get to role play the problems inherent with each type.

[Stubram]

Thanks for the reply. I think it's a bit of a shame that there's no definitive repercussion with regards to CR (Command Rights) as they make quite a big deal out of it, and how dangerous it is for a merc company to lose their independence. At best, it means that they're put into the meat grinder/high risk situations, at worse, they can be purposely manoeuvred to trap them into a company store situation.  A lot of CBT books have exactly that (betrayal by an employer) as the main theme. 

Just percolating the idea, but I really want to have that moment of dread if I'm forced to fight as part of an integrated force, as it seems to be a fundamental part of BT merc contracts. 

[Cryhavok101]

That is exactly where role playing comes in in my opinion. Maybe you could work something out with scenario selection though, that can make one more favorable type of command rights be more favorable than the other.

You could also look into the morale rules and see if they could fit, with a unit having worse morale from thinking it is losing that freedom under certain command rights, and better morale under more favorable command rights.

Those would be my suggestions.

[Stubram]

Hadn't thought of the moral angle, thanks. Good ideas.  I've kinda got it in my head to have another table, which (in the case of integrated command) can lead to disastrous consequences, no effect,  or even a slight bonus(from the rare employer who knows how to use all of his assets, and to reflect the fact that the mercs are actually part of a greater network).  Meh. Depends if it slows the game down I guess

[pheonixstorm]

Unless your commander is going into the field a liason more often than not will be sitting back and relaxing with the CO or XO

With the others... that will depend on how you want it to play out of how the GM runs the campaign. I would think though that the worse your right the worse your unit will be treated. Ie sent on suicide missions or ordered to break the enemy line w/o proper reinforcements or generally sent ahead of the house units to take a pounding before the rest of the troops arrive.

[Colt Ward]

Not having command rights . . .

For tactical
If you are on the field with the House/Corp forces you are supporting you sort of need a 2nd non-PC player.  One person is playing the opposing force, the other plays your 'ally' without communicating to you much . . . no huddling to determine what is the best move or plan.  The person would give orders.  You might also roll a 1D6 or something . . . 1/2 no further instructions that turn, 3/4/5 you get very simple instructions (move right/retreat behind the hill/fire everything on the Atlas), 6 you get detailed instructions (retrograde manuever, use LRMs to drop mines and energy weapons to hit at range, use flamers to start fires in woods for cover).

Somewhat simpler would be for the player's side, if there are supporting forces present, to all have to move before the House/Corp forces.  Say its a merc lance and a House lance . . . even if the merc's side won init, the merc's lance must all move before the House force as a default unless the House commander lets a merc unit move later.  To me this may be the most punishing method because I play manuever . . . and its hard to outmanuever an enemy when you are frontloaded.  It also means that the enemy will make their move to isolate/damage the merc units- so just like we hear in fiction the merc mechs are out front being used as a damage soak to protect House/Corp equipment.

Forced withdraw conditions could be changed to require more damage or specific damage.  You might need to get House/Corp commander's approval to withdraw a damaged unit.


For strategic
You get handed the shit end of the stick . . . the mercs get sent out as the diversion, told to hold out for 10 turns and then House/Corp reinforcement will arrive on map.  Or they will strike at the real target once the mercs have diverted attention/garrisons, which will 'give the mercs some relief as the defenders rush back to the target' . . . or not since the House/Corp force delays letting the mercs draw more attention to make it safer for loyal forces.

Your contract says you are to be supplied ammunition by the House/Corp.  Sure, the local commander you are attached to gives you access to their supply train and the munitions available- but the supply trucks will carry the House/Corp supplies first and will squeeze yours in as able.  Or will let you have the remains of the ammo stocks, their mechs get full loads of LRMs for the LRM5s that two lances of Vindicators, Thunders, Sha Yu and Duan Gung but your force which was assigned as fire support has only half loads for the Archers and Yeoman mechs.  Or AC/20 & Gauss Rifle munitions are declared mission critical and can only be issued (or only issued to allied forces) on orders of the theater (3 jumps away) or planetary commander.  Or Gauss Rifle munitions are mission critical and can only be fired at medium & short range; or fired when the computer gives a probability of a hit at better than 70% (THN 6 or better).

Could be as simple as being told what your munitions mix might be or might be restricted to . . . such as SRMs not being allowed inferno or LBX not having cluster- 'You job is to hit the mechs, tanks and fortifications.'  Or perhaps being ordered to load inferno while House/Corp units do not so if any fires get out of control its the mercs fault- cue bus rolling over bodies.  I would say this is something the GM runs.

[Col Toda]

Depends on the Faction . The Lyran Commonwealth with it's Social Generals and other officers who buy their commission's I do not take a contract with Intergrated command as my lance commanders may be better at tactics and strategy than the General is . Liason is fine for almost all factions except for Capellen Confederation , Hanseatic League , and Marion Hegemony where non-citizens tend to have no or little legal rights and possible perceived in not being empowered to be a signatory  on any legal contract within their boarder's IE enforced on whim and consequences depending or an ERA w/o Mercenary Boards pointless . Outside of competence and legal restrains are the bare bones practical ones as to whether you are the primary of the contract or not . For instance if my unit is hired for LZ defense and salvage operation by a primary contract then Intergrated with the primary of the contract and Liason with the client of the contract is likely . If asked to give artillery and spotting support as a subcontractor  I may have a lance of O - Bakemono's and a Lance of Pegasus Scouts in the mix .  If I am just one of a couple of Units involved in an offensive then depending on the reputation of those other units I may work for an integrated situation with them and a Liason or Independent with the Client . If a bunch of Mercenary companies are hired by one faction for a planetary assault most cases each persues individual targets in a mishmash level of Co Belligerency they likely will still win if the Intel was right but the losses will be higher than it would be if they pooled their numbers  .  Depending on hardware ; level of national bias ; and skill if the individual mercenary companies working together so in each instance more hardware is hitting the enemy at the point of contact then everyone's net losses should be less across the board . 

Some Contract types to do right tend to ( Demand ) particular Command Rights for best effect . 

Cadre  : If training just to use the new  hardware  ; Liason . Teaching to use new hardware as part of a tactical doctrine  ; Integrated .  Anything less is counter productive .

Garrison : Outpost ; Independent or Liason . Urban Government  ; Integrated or Liason .
Corporate ; Liason or Independent .

Objective Raid : Depends on the level of confirm or denial from the Client and how much legal responsibility they will take on .

All other types of mercenary contracts has too many variables to include here , but most will have a logical or mandatory legal minimum or maximum . In most cases the client may position itself so it can throw the unit under the legal bus .

[jackson123]

Liason is useally the best way to go.