Need help planning a battle part 2: Campaigning in the 3140s

[Drewbacca]

I am about to start reading through Shattered Fortress and Era Report 3145, but does anyone off the tops of their heads have a good idea for a mercenary based campaign in this era?

[Empyrus]

I am about to start reading through Shattered Fortress and Era Report 3145, but does anyone off the tops of their heads have a good idea for a mercenary based campaign in this era?

Few ideas on top of my head:

Wolf's Dragoons fighting for the Draconis Combine, during the invasion to Federated Suns.

Julian Davion's campaign to reclaim Federated Suns worlds uses a lot of mercs (Shattered Fortress details this).

Then there's some merc coalitions between the Republic and reborn FWL, i think. Local world protection, i think.

Obviously mercs get used more or less by everyone everywhere, though Cappies and the Republic are the least likely to use mercs, ignoring Clans.

[Colt Ward]

I say start earlier . . .

Just to sort of see what it was like to start on Gray Monday.  You can make a pretty interesting story about why they became mercenaries and how they got their gear- my set were a mixed company were test pilots for a refurb yard.  They started with a few machines that were being repaired, a stockpile of parts, but very little ammo.  Sitting on the stockpile of parts for the company & RAF made them a target for everyone.  Then dealing with the emergency becoming a permanent thing, wannabe warlords, political power grabs, cameos by Dragon's Fury, Bannson's rep trying to get cozy with local pols, evacing with the proto-Stormhammers, and trying to get to Galatea as the 'merc' world.

For this you would IMO need the Historical Dark Ages PDF, but there are some other sources of information like TP Irian.

The appeal for me was that you had a LOT of little factions running about shooting at each other so you could always find someone who needed more guns.

Empyrus is referring to the Galatean League or whatever they call themselves . . . they are basically live fire training for the Crusader Wolves as time goes on- think Coventry defenders in '58 but over the span of years.  Early on they might have been defending a collection of worlds from the Falcons & Wolves . . . but the Falcon Desant was not dishonorable or vindictive under Helmer like when Mad Malvina was running the show.  Unfortunately, she makes some sort of link up with the Desant going into 3145 (see latest Battle of Hesperus) and so pushing back in that direction gets more dangerous than it was in the late 30s.  Alaric has been slowly nibbling away by sending his new formations against the mercenaries that are defending the League and Republic Remnant based on Callison, I think as their worlds have shrunk in the 3140s that you might have had mercs that were strong early backers sliding off to somewhere else.

[dgorsman]

The smaller FWL systems that are still independent would be good working grounds for a smaller merc unit.  Some of the surviving FWL federal units try to cover that area but it's in a reactionary basis; they can't be everywhere at once, but can function as GM backup in case the mercs get in over their heads.

[Drewbacca]

3145 or 3150? Which would be better?

[Colt Ward]

I was suggesting 3132, kick off with Gray Monday.

Unfortunately the further along you go from the MWDA novels the thinner details get for the meta-plot.  Bonfire of Worlds did a excellent job wrapping up the MWDA novel line and the CGL sourcebooks that supported it which sets you up for 3145 . . . after that you get hints in TRO3145 and Shattered Fortress, which for the most part focuses on the Republic/FedSuns - CapCon battle IMO.  Unfortunately other places get a short mention- I mean the leader of the League gets assassinated and its a blip on the radar.

[SteelRaven]

Pick any Republic World and any RotS force outside the Fortress, The surrounding Prefectures more or less became the chaos march after the Fortress went up cutting off any loyal Republic forces off from Terra and left many to fend from themselves against the Great Houses who most at that point started garbing any world they could in the vacuum. Splinter Factions have been ether disbanded or absorbed by advancing Great House armies. Some have even gone pirate.   

As cover in Masters of War, many Prefecture worlds near Lyran space started hiring any Mercenary band they could find to fend off the Falcons and then the Wolves. Allot of former RotS forces went merc after getting cut off from Terra. 3140 would be after this, the Wolves are now attacking the Lyrans after their alliance has fallen apart and both the Falcons and Hells Horses are back to pushing towards Terra. Plenty of business opportunities :thumbsup: 

The two mercenary bands I find interesting and I wished survived was:

Bannson's Raiders just because I thought they where interesting. A group of amoral mercenaries, some who are hinted to be insane, being bank rolled by a robber baron was something you didn't see often in the BTU. Bannson's Raiders are no where to be seen after a particular plot point but they are a interesting example.

I found the Wolf Hunters where also interesting as going merc would seem to be the natural course for some some splinter factions. You have the equipment and the experience with few options outside of the have gun/mech will travel profession.     
   

[Colt Ward]

Yeah, if you do not jump in 3132, then going for '35 or '36 when the Fortress went up is another natural starting point for a merc story/campaign.  Between the Fortress and '45 those little groups of worlds disappear- though some join their old Houses as powerblocs, though most of that was for the League.  Warlord Tormark brought her collection of worlds into the DC as part of her Prefecture.

One of the Raider 'regiments' were a lot of Republic Ghost Knight plants . . . I want to say One Eyed's Jacks?  The other two- Wylde's & Damned IIRC- could still be out there, just broken up since their patron is missing.

Wolf Hunters are still a going concern unless 3150 or Shattered Fortress mentioned it and I forgot- they are now led by a former Hell's Horse.  The old Steel Wolves became 3 or 4 independent bands of mercs, and I know stars split off to join other mercs like Jacob's Juggernauts.

[Drewbacca]

I am going with 3132 and one of the contracts the against the bot came up with is a garrison contract with the Fed Suns against the Cap Con that will net an estimated profit of 64 Million.  :beer: