Author Topic: Ripping off characters for Bannson's scum bags- Band of Five (Read 3415 times)

Colt Ward · « **on:** 19 July 2019, 16:59:03 »

For Bannson's veteran unit, they seemed to recruit scum and let them have free rein . . . Suicide Squad without bombs in their heads, worst of the Dirty Dozen with no one holding them back, and other tropes . . . but hey, it works!

Some of the Raiders (that were not a Ghost Knight team's legends) had repellent backgrounds, so who might you draw inspiration in either IRL or fiction for a Band of Five? Does Hannibal Lector pilot a mech and have a tech who is named Clarice . . . ? What about a infamous witch-hunter? Or a Van Helsing-type who hunts down Clanners on the battlefield as abominations?

Or maybe the someone like HH Holmes . . . a doctor?

Daryk · « **Reply #1 on:** 19 July 2019, 18:56:22 »

Google Bob Denard… If I say anything more, I'll get a Rule 4 warning...

Colt Ward · « **Reply #2 on:** 19 July 2019, 19:14:17 »

Yeah, for the more nasty I just figured a name. But there are enough infamous nutcases through history to fill the Band of Five.

Pat Payne · « **Reply #3 on:** 19 July 2019, 19:40:34 »

Quote from: Colt Ward on 19 July 2019, 19:14:17

Yeah, for the more nasty I just figured a name. But there are enough infamous nutcases through history to fill the Band of Five.

Yeah, there are some truly hideous military units out there that I've encountered in my historical reading, but as with Daryk's post above, I'm worried even mentioning them here by name would be a Rule 4 violation. One of the only ones I can think of that wouldn't be is the "Filthy Thirteen" the original Pathfinder unit that was the inspiration (albeit loosely, apparently none of them were condemned criminals, just habitual denizens of the stockade for petty offenses) for the Dirty Dozen.

Colt Ward · « **Reply #4 on:** 19 July 2019, 23:10:15 »

Well, the Band of Five did not start off with folks who could operate the equipment . . . they picked up people who were sociopaths, Pyro (http://cf.sarna.net/docs/mwda_dossiers/dark_age_2.pdf) was a typical example. Someone who had no moral boundaries that Bannson's recruiters found . . . if he did not have any skill piloting the mech, he would have ended up in a vehicle, battle armor or whatever.

Which is part of why I suggested the fictional Lecter and real Holmes.

Pat Payne · « **Reply #5 on:** 20 July 2019, 14:24:04 »

Speaking of another Holmes, have you considered one James Moriarty? A thinking man's sociopath ;D

Colt Ward · « **Reply #6 on:** 20 July 2019, 14:50:20 »

I did but he would require control and the Band is not about that . . . figured a BN commander of one of the other regiments. I think a Billy the Kid version of the worst stories would be solid. Maybe the most killing bank robbers, who can never pass up the chance to grab some cash from a bank.

Colonel William Tavington, a character from the Patriot using the worst propaganda to create the character rather than the historical reference.

nerd · « **Reply #7 on:** 20 July 2019, 16:37:49 »

Most of the mercs in The Dogs of War, being based on the 1970's western mercs in Africa would do well.

Particularly Jean-Baptiste Langarotti, a former paratrooper, expert knife-fighter, and member of an organized crime syndicate.

massey · « **Reply #8 on:** 20 July 2019, 16:48:29 »

The Guardians of the Galaxy movies seem tailor made to provide inspiration here.

RunandFindOut · « **Reply #9 on:** 20 July 2019, 20:39:55 »

Not really, kinda off in tone for battletech. As others have pointed out Cold War era Africa and Indo-Asia provides a LOT of colorful individuals to use. Also go farther back and read up some on the 30 years war, that one was perfect what with the multitudes of mercenary armies roaming about full of the sort of individuals that appear in mercenary armies. Then I'd look at the various later colonial acquisitions of the various colonizing powers. During the 19th century there were quite a few "private ventures" that turned places on the map into new territories and the people involved tended to be exactly the sort you would imagine ended up doing such things.

PsihoKekec · « **Reply #10 on:** 22 July 2019, 00:42:47 »

You can look at WWII Sturmbrigade Dirlewanger, the worst scum the Germany could scrape out of it's prisons and sent it to do the dirty work.

Nightsong · « **Reply #11 on:** 23 July 2019, 14:47:34 »

If a quintet of Clanners is a Star, would these guys be a Black Hole?

Colt Ward · « **Reply #12 on:** 23 July 2019, 15:52:25 »

Band of Five IMO offers a lot more for Bannson than just a combined arms regiment . . . you are talking about being able to find some special, if nasty, skill sets in the unit to push Bannson's position.

You probably should have someone who can arrange a 'innocent' hit and run vehicular accident.
Definitely arrange a honeypot blackmail plot

Criminal types . . .
Smugglers
Arson for hire
armed bank robbery
hitmen/assassination
bounty hunters? skip tracers?
organized crime strongmen- Capellan Triads, FedSuns mafia

then you just get to scum- murders, rapists, kidnappers, sadists, and tax lawyers

If you really go in depth though, the unit would not be very PG when you start including the worst types.

Daryk · « **Reply #13 on:** 23 July 2019, 16:59:18 »

Five MechWarriors need five Techs, 30 AsTechs, and four Admin types. That's at least two platoons, right there. Of course, since most "Lance" transports can accommodate six 150-ton bays, it sounds like you're golden. The last 150 tons becomes a Recovery Vehicle (with its crew and Tech and Admin support), and all the other personnel to support those 5 scum bags (e.g., a full Medical Team (of 5) and Legal Team (I suspect the lawyer is going to need some help))...

Colt Ward · « **Reply #14 on:** 23 July 2019, 23:25:01 »

Well, they had more than the single 'hand' . . . and when unleashed, they were not really on planet with permission.

deathfrombeyond · « **Reply #15 on:** 14 September 2019, 12:21:58 »

The Legion of Doom from the super friends!

Their spiritual successor even teamed up with the justice league.

I want a cackling 80s era filmation lex Luthor on my team.

RunandFindOut · « **Reply #16 on:** 14 September 2019, 18:10:32 »

Damn now I want to write up a entry for the independent periphery world of Latveria, and it's Legion of Doom.

ANS Kamas P81 · « **Reply #17 on:** 14 September 2019, 19:42:04 »

Here's your throne room then.

MoneyLovinOgre4Hire · « **Reply #18 on:** 14 September 2019, 22:23:22 »

Van Owen from Roland The Headless Thompson Gunner.

Nav_Alpha · « **Reply #19 on:** 14 September 2019, 22:31:33 »

Quote from: MoneyLovinOgre4Hire on 14 September 2019, 22:23:22

Van Owen from Roland The Headless Thompson Gunner.

A merc blowing a lancemate’s head off because he was bribed by MI5 or Republic of the Sphere intelligence found fit in perfectly with the Band, I’d say.

Colt Ward · « **Reply #20 on:** 14 September 2019, 22:34:29 »

O . . . a Band of Five member who tracks bounties on his fellow scum in that 'regiment' . . . and then harvests them when its high enough, making sure they get whacked by 'friendly' fire during an op . . . yeah, that is scummy enough I can go with it.