Mercs in service of OA?

[Crow]

How did the OA feel about the use of mercenaries? I seem to recall that they didn't allow them at one point, and then in the 3060s some were hired on permanently which were rolled into the Long Road Legions.

Obviously things have changed post 3067 with the Ravens in the neighborhood, so I'm asking specifically pre-Jihad.

[Deadborder]

There's been very little written on the matter. In the first and second Succession Wars, the government was split over the issue, and the right of individual planets to hire Mercs was a part of why so many worlds succeed from the OA. By the late Succession Wars they were considered to be a necessary evil to help protect from pirate predation; needed but not liked

[lrose]

Periphery 1e says the Alliance Charter forbids the use of Mercs

Periphery 2e says the Alliance Charter was amended to allow the hiring of Mercs

FM:P Mentions the Long Road program began in 3056 and the merc ban was lifted as part of that program.

Handbook:MPS says the prohibition on the hiring of Mercs was repealed in 3064 but that planetary governments have always hired Mercs despite the prohibition and the national government has generally turned a blind eye towards the practice. The offical ban is said to be back in place by 3067.

It's worth noting there is a discrepancy here- Periphery 2e is dated 3059 and mentions the Merc ban being lifted but Handbook MPS says 3064- it should probably be 3056/7 based on the date of the Long Road Program from FM:P. 

First SW shows Grim Determination has uncontracted mercs located on Cerberus in the OWA.
Second SW shows the OWA having the Grim Determination Merc unit - but this seems suspect. 

[wanderer25]

Handbook:MPS says the prohibition on the hiring of Mercs was repealed in 3064 but that planetary governments have always hired Mercs despite the prohibition and the national government has generally turned a blind eye towards the practice. The offical ban is said to be back in place by 3067.

It's worth noting there is a discrepancy here- Periphery 2e is dated 3059 and mentions the Merc ban being lifted but Handbook MPS says 3064- it should probably be 3056/7 based on the date of the Long Road Program from FM:P. 

First SW shows Grim Determination has uncontracted mercs located on Cerberus in the OWA.
Second SW shows the OWA having the Grim Determination Merc unit - but this seems suspect.

From what I recall it also has to be small units and on defensive contract. So a lance to a company or so on garrison duty.

I also recall Mercenaries 1st ed  mentioning Willson's Hussars trying to get a contract from the planetary governor of the planet they are stranded on.