Author Topic: Mercenary Hall (Read 204444 times)

Deathknight69 · « **on:** 30 January 2011, 01:35:27 »

Following MadCapellan's lead w/ his League of Nations styled thread. This one is all about Merc's: Being a Merc, Looking for work, The interesting times that we (as merc's) live in, etc.

Me, Personally, I've enjoyed playing a merc since I got Tales of the Black Widow. I normally work for the Fed Suns because they generally treat their merc's better than just cannon fodder. The Lyran's are ok to work for as long as you don't get stuck with a complete "Social General" type. Kurita was ok until Takashi's snitfit with the Dragoons. Teddy K made it better again after the Clans started coming to town. Marik - Well, they are a roll of the dice depending on which sub-faction you get hired by. CapCon - Ok as long as you don't get used for cannon fodder. The Periphery nation's are a crapshoot depending on the era.

Anyway, feel free to discuss employment options, contract types, salvage stories, etc... Just don't bash each other or anybody else. We're here to have fun, so kick back and start typing. If you want to do this in "IC", make sure you start and end your posts "IC" and "OC".

RedMarauder · « **Reply #1 on:** 30 January 2011, 10:04:16 »

I've always liked working with the Periphery nations myself. Even in 3025, they could have some decent machines available. The Concordat has been producing the TDR-5S for quite some time now and that's one good reason to stick with them. They also have done quite a bit for my small unit over the years, on and off, and treat them rather well, since they want to keep our services. Truthfully, they're my fave to work for.

As far as the Houses?

I either work for the Davions or the Capellans. Both aren't bad to work for.

Demon55 · « **Reply #2 on:** 30 January 2011, 12:00:30 »

Mercenaries, promoting battlefield competence since 1300 BC.

Why am I one, I get to kill things for money and can have a breakout clause in case my employer is unwise.

False Son · « **Reply #3 on:** 30 January 2011, 12:06:40 »

When i've enoyed being a merc it has always been at the head of my own unit. Dealing with things like logistics, budget and so on are challenges sometimes in their own regard. I've prefered the image of the mercenaries that have to keep getting contracts in order to keep going, over extremely prosperous units that can really pick and choose contracts. But, then again, i've always liked having to deal with things like death letters and things like that. There's no patriotic excuses for mercs, no one forces them to fight, so it sometimes brings up issues.

Davout73 · « **Reply #4 on:** 30 January 2011, 13:12:50 »

I've been using Makinus' rules as the basis for a solo campaign I've been running against the bot for awhile now. It's been fun thus far, and fitting whats been going on with my unit into the time line has been very fun as well. For a variety of reasons all of my contracts have been with Marik or Steiner, but I suspect that will change in the near future after this contract ends.

Davout73

Deathknight69 · « **Reply #5 on:** 30 January 2011, 17:15:57 »

Well I'm gonna keep it rollin'...

I've run a lot of units other the yrs. Had a lot of great and crappy times. But, Damn if it hasn't been fun.

I'm starting another unit in honor of the new boards. 3067 - Jihad tracks campaign. I'm hoping not to get sucked into the WoBblie side of the tracks. The new unit - The Ragged Irregulars - will be in the Non-Canon Units board for your amusement. I'm gonna do what I have to keep'em alive. Wish me luck ;) I posted a Mod Barghest design on the design board to mostly good reviews so far.

Klat · « **Reply #6 on:** 30 January 2011, 17:37:02 »

What do we know about the merc environment post jihad?

It seems that Galatea is still going; the RotS seems to be using military hardware such as the Kinnol MBT to entice mercs to stay contracted. I would assume Herotitus is still a contracting haven for periphery mercs; probably a fair number of contracts with the MAF and TDF float through there. I'm sure there's always a fair amount of money to be made on Arc-Royal.

What other halls may be open and what areas are there contracts in?

I figure the former FWL has a fair amount of action going. The RotS\CC border may be interesting. What else though?

Deathknight69 · « **Reply #7 on:** 30 January 2011, 18:18:36 »

Quote from: Klat on 30 January 2011, 17:37:02

What do we know about the merc environment post jihad?

It seems that Galatea is still going; the RotS seems to be using military hardware such as the Kinnol MBT to entice mercs to stay contracted. I would assume Herotitus is still a contracting haven for periphery mercs; probably a fair number of contracts with the MAF and TDF float through there. I'm sure there's always a fair amount of money to be made on Arc-Royal.

What other halls may be open and what areas are there contracts in?

I figure the former FWL has a fair amount of action going. The RotS\CC border may be interesting. What else though?

Well, If you believe all the "Swords to Plowshares" mumbo-jumbo, We'll be outta work. I don't believe it will be all that bad. A lot of people will still need us (Merc's) to do most of/all the dirty work that they will need done w/o getting the exposure and backlash from it ;) }:).

RAE · « **Reply #8 on:** 30 January 2011, 18:49:19 »

Quote from: Klat on 30 January 2011, 17:37:02

What do we know about the merc environment post jihad?

I think post-Jihad is a prefect time to command a small upstart mercenary unit:

* Most of the big names are gone from business forever or out for a while, so it's a chance to build a reputation for yourself, while not being intimidated or overshadowed by large, multi-regiment commands;

* Action is mostly small-scale, so chances are you won't get nuked by accident during a Capellan onslaught, or overrun, when a FedSuns RCT suddenly decide to strike your LZ with all its units simultaneously, or caught betweet two clashing armies, each deploying several regiments worth of 'Mechs. A BattleMech company is once again a formidable force to be reckoned with;

* Various state militaries are going through some serious rebuilding, so they probably will rely on mercs more (FedSuns already do, deploying small merc outfits in a new type of formation known as FedSuns Mercenary Commands, and even the Dragon seems to entrust mercs with the safety of their Dropship and Jumpship factories).

Davout73 · « **Reply #9 on:** 30 January 2011, 19:50:10 »

Quote

What do we know about the merc environment post jihad?

They are still around. Maybe not as big as before, and more than likely they have fewer mech's than before, but they are out there.

Davout73

Deathknight69 · « **Reply #10 on:** 30 January 2011, 20:07:58 »

Hey RAE, Where can we find info on a "FedSuns Merc. Comm.?"

RAE · « **Reply #11 on:** 30 January 2011, 20:17:44 »

Quote from: Deathknight69 on 30 January 2011, 20:07:58

Hey RAE, Where can we find info on a "FedSuns Merc. Comm.?"

Field Report: AFFS.

Deathknight69 · « **Reply #12 on:** 30 January 2011, 20:21:06 »

Bummer, I don't have any of the PDF's. Anything that you can tell w/o killing an NDA?. I saw (before the crash) something about LCT's, but not a concrete makeup/disposition thereof?

RAE · « **Reply #13 on:** 30 January 2011, 20:36:25 »

Quote from: Deathknight69 on 30 January 2011, 20:21:06

Bummer, I don't have any of the PDF's. Anything that you can tell w/o killing an NDA?. I saw (before the crash) something about LCT's, but not a concrete makeup/disposition thereof?

Well, it doesn't say much, but basically, FMC is a collection of small mercenary units unified under a single AFFS command staff to centralize logistic and coordination. They deployed together, but each unit acts as a sub-command of a single force.

Deathknight69 · « **Reply #14 on:** 30 January 2011, 20:53:00 »

So basically they can be deployed to various spots on world or neighboring worlds? Sounds interesting.

Stormlion1 · « **Reply #15 on:** 30 January 2011, 23:06:14 »

It looks more like they put all the problems in one basket to me.

Davout73 · « **Reply #16 on:** 30 January 2011, 23:15:46 »

Actually it worked pretty well for some units.

Wislon's Hussars were part of an FMC and had managed to grow to a Battalion plus of Mechs and other equipment when WoB finally destroyed them.

Davout73

Klat · « **Reply #17 on:** 30 January 2011, 23:28:08 »

That sounds like the way to do it; instead of going through one of the "big boys" that name their own price you just put together a staff to hire numerous small commands that operate under your organization's oversight.

Well that's pretty neat, thanks RAE. I wonder if we'll actually see an increase in the use of private military assets among the houses in order to keep military strength up while paying lip service to the "swords to ploughshares" push.

Demon55 · « **Reply #18 on:** 31 January 2011, 01:55:25 »

May the way of the mercenary last long.

Klat · « **Reply #19 on:** 31 January 2011, 14:48:24 »

Quote from: Demon55 on 31 January 2011, 01:55:25

May the way of the mercenary last long.

Amen.

It seems to me that a fair number of designs in TRO 3085 are open market and\or available to mercs one way or another. A quick search for mercenary or mercenaries and some reading of the language in each section makes it seem that these units are available:

TRO 3085
Ranger VV1 AFV
Kinnol MBT
MLR-B2
WLF-5
HCT-7S
GST-11
BRM-5A
PEN-2H
D-M3D-3
MNG-8L
Balac Strike VTOL
Arbalest
Pack Hunter II
STG-3P
WSP-8T
OTL-9R
RFL-7X
CRD-7W
TDR-10M
ARC-9M
MAD-9W2
Phoenix Hawk IIC 7
Warhammer IIC 8

TRO 3085 S
Ravager Assault BA
FWL-3R

There are a lot more units that I believe to be clearly sold on the open market or that would be very believable in merc hands, this list was compiled as a rough overview using a fairly flawed set of criteria. It still shows a fair number of units and I'd say that with all the talk of who got what with this TRO it was the mercs who cleaned up ;)

It also looks like the clantech genie is out of the bottle now. ::)

I think that mercs will be maligned publicly but hired privately by the various IS powers in the lead up to the DA. The way of the Mercenary will continue for some time.

Rainbow 6 · « **Reply #20 on:** 31 January 2011, 15:01:13 »

The FMC is a good idea for the house's and the smaller mercenay units. Mercenaries will always be around and probably more so now the Jihad is over and the House's are downsizing.

Klat · « **Reply #21 on:** 31 January 2011, 15:35:20 »

Quote from: Rainbow 6 on 31 January 2011, 15:01:13

The FMC is a good idea for the house's and the smaller mercenay units. Mercenaries will always be around and probably more so now the Jihad is over and the House's are downsizing.

I agree. Didn't the Star League try for a "swords to ploughshares" initiative that simply saw the houses hiring mercs as "off the books" forces?

Moonsword · « **Reply #22 on:** 31 January 2011, 15:47:28 »

Or maintaining their own.

Klat · « **Reply #23 on:** 31 January 2011, 16:04:02 »

Quote from: Moonsword on 31 January 2011, 15:47:28

Or maintaining their own.

That's right, the houses started turning their regular forces into "mercs" for the purposes of reporting army strength didn't they? I'd forgotten about that. What an interesting time to fight for money :)

Moonsword · « **Reply #24 on:** 31 January 2011, 16:14:49 »

I imagine we don't even begin to know all the creative accounting involved there.

Davout73 · « **Reply #25 on:** 31 January 2011, 16:21:02 »

My dad's a forensic accountant, I could ask him for some ideas..... }:)

Quote from: Moonsword on 31 January 2011, 16:14:49

I imagine we don't even begin to know all the creative accounting involved there.

Moonsword · « **Reply #26 on:** 31 January 2011, 17:09:52 »

Let's ask the IAEA. I bet they have some fun ideas.

Demon55 · « **Reply #27 on:** 31 January 2011, 17:28:17 »

From reading the DA books it seems that mercs have a hard time staying in business unless they are doing work under the table.

Moonsword · « **Reply #28 on:** 31 January 2011, 17:31:43 »

When your business is war, peace may be a problem.

IndyRI · « **Reply #29 on:** 31 January 2011, 17:37:50 »

And when the public perception is that "your kind" sided with the biggest menace to an average IS citizen's life since the 2nd SW, then it's kind of bad for PR. Mercs got hit with an almighty one-two punch post-Jihad of becoming a stigmatized class of professional, and a general lack of warfare in the era of the Republic. It'd be like being an casket-maker, but people suddenly decide that they prefer being cremated and they simultaneously discover the cure for most major diseases. Business would drop off just a wee bit.