Scenarios involving state-sponsored mercenaries.

[Terrace]

I've been trying to come up with justifications for a mercenary unit that is not only openly sponsored by a nation they don't operate in (Great House or Periphery), but scenarios that would not have them treated as a hostile raiding force by their hosts.

Best I've come up with is having their mercenary status simply be a legal cover while a Mutual Defense Treaty is still being worked out, but allows the Sponsor Nation to still help out Host Nation's defense issues. Basically only be mercenaries by a strict reading of the law, with the group being folded into whatever official forces deploy into Host Nation once the treaty goes into force.

[Tai Dai Cultist]

I've been trying to come up with justifications for a mercenary unit that is not only openly sponsored by a nation they don't operate in (Great House or Periphery), but scenarios that would not have them treated as a hostile raiding force by their hosts.

There's what I expect is a double negative.  Do you mean to ask about a scenario where the mercs are not sponsored by the House claiming sovereignty over the space they ARE operating within?  If I'm not operating within Davion space, what does it matter how Davion views me?

Best I've come up with is having their mercenary status simply be a legal cover while a Mutual Defense Treaty is still being worked out, but allows the Sponsor Nation to still help out Host Nation's defense issues. Basically only be mercenaries by a strict reading of the law, with the group being folded into whatever official forces deploy into Host Nation once the treaty goes into force.

Neo-feudalism is the answer.  You're not contracted by House Davion or the AFFS, but if you're posted to a garrison on a Davion world you could instead be employed by MegaCorporation owned by Count Stuffybritches.  Or even as part of his own Household Guard.

[Daryk]

Pirate hunting springs to mind... The locals may not be entirely friendly, but as long as you're looking for the people that actively make their lives miserable, they shouldn't be inclined to shoot.

[Terrace]

There's what I expect is a double negative.  Do you mean to ask about a scenario where the mercs are not sponsored by the House claiming sovereignty over the space they ARE operating within?  If I'm not operating within Davion space, what does it matter how Davion views me?

Yes. It would be like mercs operating in the Lyran Commonwealth while openly being funded and supplied by the Federated Suns before the Federated Commonwealth Treaty was conceived.

Neo-feudalism is the answer.  You're not contracted by House Davion or the AFFS, but if you're posted to a garrison on a Davion world you could instead be employed by MegaCorporation owned by Count Stuffybritches.  Or even as part of his own Household Guard.

I always forget about how neo-feudalism alters the geo-stellar politics.

[Daryk]

It could also be something as simple as obtaining a license to operate in the "other" state.

[Tai Dai Cultist]

Ah, well as Daryk mentioned Pirate hunting is a notable possibility.

Of course, coming back to the neo-feudalistic nature of the Inner Sphere warfare between petty nobles is basically inseparable from piracy.  I say pirate hunting, you say *I'm* the pirates.  He said she said.  Still, if a force is small enough or being specific enough about what they're targeting, a raiding force taking on Count Dookienose's forces and not posing a threat to the rest of the planet might not even rise to the attention of the native House Army garrison.  "Grow up and settle your squabbles with House Stuffybritches on your own, we've got better things to do than bail your sorry ass out."


The MRBC can provide a completely different angle.  If your contract is certified, you presumably have some kind of IFF code you can use to broadcast your legitimate status.  If you're not being paid to take over the world, presumably you'll be happy to admit to that and prove it through ComStar if the native House garrison takes an interest in your presence.

[Phalanx]

When it comes to scenarios where mercenaries are onplanet, but not hostile to the National Government, you have the following options:
1) Planetary Gov hires Mercs
2) Local Noble A hires Mercs to perform an operation against Local Noble B.
3) A Corporation hires Mercs
4) Regional Noble hires Mercs for an Operation against rival Planet
Ex:  Duke Sandoval of the Draconis March decides to curbstomp some Kuritas, but does not bother to ask New Avalon first.
5) Comstar hires Mercs
Ex:The Taurian world of Hellespont is the HQ of the Rimward Operations Area of Comstar's Explorer Corps. So a Merc unit hired to secure the facility would be protected by Comstar's neutrality.
6) A religious/refugee community hires Mercs
- The community is settled on a remote part of the planet. While they settlement has been permitted, they have been made vulnerable to enemy raids while the planetary forces are busy protecting primary targets. So the Planetary and/or National Gov has given the Community permission to hire Mercs as long as the Mercs are vetted, a Gov Liaison is assigned to the Mercs, AND the Community covers most(or all) of the Merc's expenses.

[Robroy]

I could also see a mutual defense pact between two states.

States A and B have a mutual defense pact. State B is threatened by state 3. State A, not wanting to risk their own troops, hire and send mercs instead to garrison State B worlds.

[Elmoth]

We are about to launch an Illyrian palatinate campaign where the u it is sponsored by the magistracy of canopus. Why? Because they want the Illyrian and Lothian to survive to annoy the hell and force the Marian Hegemony to center its attention there. The enemy of my enemy is my friend approach. They are under the command of the illiryans, but wages come from the magistracy.

[Sartris]

3) A Corporation hires Mercs

Operation stiletto

[trboturtle]

Pitcairn's Legion  ;)

Craig

[Terrace]

I could also see a mutual defense pact between two states.

States A and B have a mutual defense pact. State B is threatened by state 3. State A, not wanting to risk their own troops, hire and send mercs instead to garrison State B worlds.

The scenario I came up with is essentially this, except the mercs are actually State A's troops operating under a legal fig leaf as the mutual defense pact that would allow State A troops to legally deploy inside State B hasn't been hammered out yet (though they are working on it).

[CrossfirePilot]

1) you might have an outside actor supporting one side of a civil war.
2) Dignitary bodyguard?

[Colt Ward]

Honestly, feudalism will explain a lot of it . . . cross border trade will as well.

Count Snobby of the Lyran Commonwealth owns a controlling interest in A Company which makes Superior Widgets.  Count Snobby has a LOT invested in the shipment of Superior Widgets crossing the border to sell to Widget-User Company in the Free Worlds League.  He sends along mercs/retainers detachment to guard his investment.

[Nav_Alpha]

Honestly, feudalism will explain a lot of it . . . cross border trade will as well.

Count Snobby of the Lyran Commonwealth owns a controlling interest in A Company which makes Superior Widgets.  Count Snobby has a LOT invested in the shipment of Superior Widgets crossing the border to sell to Widget-User Company in the Free Worlds League.  He sends along mercs/retainers detachment to guard his investment.

Basically the premise of Hearts of Chaos -  Uncle Chandy is a Kuritan Noble (an actual kurita too!) and heavily invests over the border, buying up companies on Towne in the Federated Suns.
He wasn’t to keep his new assets safe, so he hires mercs and dispatches then.

Behind the scenes, however - he’s also worried about an impending rogue Black Dragons attack. Worried the FedRats are too preoccupied and will not heed a Drac’s warning, his mercs are tasked with a second mission of fighting off the invasion and working with local militia, etc

[Feenix74]

If the mercenaries are small-size unit, then close personal protection for a VIP - new ambassador or envoy being sent from one House to another. It would be appropriate for the ambassador or envoy to have close personal protection/honour guard but due to sensitivities it may not be appropriate to send a House unit (eg. Davion ambassador/envoy turning up in Sian with a company of Davion Guards as his honour guard could be viewed as "provocative", whereas a company of professionally turned out mercs who were not too closely aligned to House Davion would probably be ok). 

[Vehrec]

Can rebel groups hire mercenaries to fight for them if they have a big enough war chest?  Seven Samurai style to throw off the yoke of the oppressors and stuff, except the oppressors are also samurai, because it's the Draconis Combine?  Would ComStar allow such a contract to be posted?

[Tai Dai Cultist]

If they have enough money, sure.

[Feenix74]

Gray Death Legion's Verthandi campaign (see Mercenary Star novel) would be a canonical example.

[Nav_Alpha]

Can rebel groups hire mercenaries to fight for them if they have a big enough war chest?  Seven Samurai style to throw off the yoke of the oppressors and stuff, except the oppressors are also samurai, because it's the Draconis Combine?  Would ComStar allow such a contract to be posted?

Gray Death is the best example of this. But the Chaos March sourcebook has a couple examples of cadre and helping the rebels contracts that are all bonded and facilitated by ComStar. Money walks, man...