Mercenary team ownership

[Mech Salvager]

Mercenary teams can vary immensely in size, and thus also in capital and asset worth. I recently got to think though, who owns the largest mercenary teams in the inner sphere? Like, I get the McCarron’s Amoured Cavalry is likely owned by the McCarron family, but what about teams like the Eridani Light Horse, who don’t have an obvious owner?

I know that I varies a lot whether the materials, primarily the mechs, are owned by individual pilots or the company, but there will always be some assets that belong to the company I think, if just the name and brand. Can a mercenary team have a board of shareholders, or are they all privately owned? Most teams have a CO listed, but that doesn’t have to be the same as an owner.

I’d love to hear examples where it has been noted or talked about, especially for the more famous teams of the inner sphere. Some of them have to be multi-billion C-bill companies after all, so I would expect that a firm grasp on the ownership would be important.

[Frabby]

I reckon they are their own corporate entities, owned by no-one outside of their structure. Their statutes may prevent the staff from just cashing in.

[CVB]

I told you, we're an anarcho-syndicalist commune... </MP>
 :D

[Orin J.]

hey, a co-op military system wouldn't be out of the question here. higher your rank, more stake you have in the company.

[Phalanx]

It seems to me that every Mercenary Company that is registered with the MRBC(and the MRB before 3052) would have to file a Founding Charter along with their initial paperwork. This could be anything from a two page document to a massive tome, depending on the size and legal expertise of the Unit's Founders.

Comstar(or later the Dragoons) would have gladly provided assistance in helping Merc Units draft their Charters(for a fee  ;)). The MRB(and later the MRBC) would have requirements for what must be in the charter including who owns the Unit and how ownership is transferred(is it an individual, a family, or a corporation?), what is considered Unit property, and the Rights of Unit members(does joining also come with Shares or any other Privileges?).

For most Merc Units, ownership would belong to the CO, who has the right to name a successor(with transfer being handled like a noble title). Most Merc Units seem to operate this way, which is why you will fine many Merc Units commanded by a descendant of the Founder generations later.

Ludwig Hansen founded Hansen's Roughriders and by 3025 the Roughriders were under the commander of his (Grandson?) Gerhardt. By the arrival of the Clans, control was in the hands of Gerhardt's son Wolfgang. And later in the Dark Age, the Roughriders are commanded by Ludwig Hansen V(Great-Grandson of Wolfgang?).

Just like with Solaris Stables and Mechwarrior Cooperatives, it varies from Unit to Unit.

[Colt Ward]

Yeah . . . honestly a mix of family businesses and corporate boards.  I think the majority of the SLDF descended merc units follow the corporate board model, question is who gets a seat at the table?  While the majority of the non-SLDF mercs are likely set up as family businesses (hello Kell Hounds)- though adoption will factor in to the decision of who is the heir.  The one that made me scratch my head was the Stealthy Tigers as presented in the book, the employer 'promoted' one of the battalion commanders to command the whole regiment rather than a officer or even the elite Raiders deciding.

Like any of the family business or noble establishments, without a clear line of succession (and sometimes even with) there will be problems which can result in rifts.  Nearly as problematic is picking a good heir (its not your favorite but rather the most capable, see Caleb & Julian).

[pat_hdx]

When I get to my desktop I may add more thoughts. I have four major units, two are mercenary.

One is a company entity, formed just before the clan invasion. Share holders that put up the initial capital are companies in a shipping alliance/consortium. They get preferential rights to to hire the unit for security duty. Although the largest share holder is a company owned by the family the commander comes from. Profits can be used to buy back shares, and the ultimate goal is to buy back enough to get full Independence.

The second group is a more adhoc affair,  formed towards the end of the Jihad. Their adhoc nature becomes a problem a few years into the Republic Era when an overzealous Republic administrator  seizes a lot of their equipment (with an offer of compensation/offers for citizenship) since they have no legal form, can't prove they own much of their equipment, and have a really skimpy contract. This is a problem since all they want to do is hunt Blakists.

Also, I'm embarrassed to admit that I've put thought into the Tax situation of my Mercs.  ;D