Joining is fairly simple.
Step One: Go here:
http://www.battletech-mercenaries.com/ It is highly recommended that you take at least a glance at the timeline and basic rules for the BTM boards. This is an AU setting, and there are a few differences which you should probably know.
Step Two: Hit the "Join" tab and create a character. This will also require a short sample of your writing.
Step three: Go Here:
http://www.global-pbem.com/Battle_Tech/index.php? This is the Forum where we have most of the contact.
Step Four: Go to "Mercenary Review & Bonding Commission" sub-forum and post a Join request in the "Mercenary Unit Affiliation Requests" thread.
Step Five: Wait, while the Unit's CO/Command council reviews your application and writing sample. Usually answers are given within 72 hours, but over holidays it can take a little longer.
As for the limits on rank/position....any noble characters are considered to be OUT of the line of succession. NO Canon characters accepted, and we ask that you keep any munchkin tendencies under control for the most part.
beyond that...here's a look at the Black Stars IC/OOC rules:
IC Rule 01:
Each member is the leader of a sub-unit within the Black Stars from the moment they can purchase their own hardware unless they choose otherwise - basically free lancers and sub-contractors who sign up with the Stars due to one reason or another. They can be a single Mechjock, a Mech lance, a self contained demi-company, etc. It matters not either ways. The Black Stars takes in anyone and everyone - as long as you work for you pay, and pay for your stay.
OOC Rule 01:
Each member will be allocated a certain amount of c-bills to build up their sub-contract unit. These can be ‘Mech, ASF, BA, PBI, vees, DropShips and whatever floats your boat.
While the starting "elders" including Vampire, WarClaw, Lantern and JL were given funds direct from DMM, other members will have to start by either loaning a unit from the Black Stars general stores, or work under one of the SUCOs first until they earn their money.
Conditions for working under a SUCO is completely between the member and the SUCO. It can be the SUCO takes in 10% of earnings of the new member, all of his salvage, completely free (yeah, right...), etc.
After each contract, members will be allocated 90% of the amount their individual word count earned, with the 10% kept by the unit being taken as payment for ammunition, transport and other misc expenses. Any sales of equipment that was under the sub-contracting unit would be injected back to it. (I have removed the 10% commission that was previously transferred back to the unit coffers)
Example 01
Jiggy runs a ‘Mech lance in the Black Stars. It consists of a pair of Wasp WSP-3S, a Phoenix Hawk PXH-4L, and a Wolverine WVR-8K.
The entire unit took up a contract that pays 700 c-bills per word. Jiggy posted 5,000 words. He would have 3,150,000 million c-bills to play with after the contract (700 x 5,000 x 90%). He also decided to sell off one of the Wasp. Jiggy would therefore have an additional 1,267,560 c-bills (50% x 2,535,120), making a total of 4,417,560 c-bills for him to do new purchases.
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IC Rule 02:
Being basically a collective of several units, there may be times when a sub-unit might be hard pressed for cash to continue running his unit, or to maintain his ridiculously lavish lifestyle (looks at Harding). There may also be another sub-unit commander who recently recruited more crew and mechjocks than he have machines, and face the distinct possibility of suffering an "accident" if he does not provide them with suitable (aka low risk, high pay) jobs soon. Regardless of the situation, sub-unit commanders may wish to trade/sell/buy equipment among themselves. For such cases, the 10% commission that the Black Stars collect for sales back the the DMM MHB will be waived.
OOC Rule 02:
Each of us have our own hardware and cash. I figured it MIGHT be possible that some of us wants something that another one of our colleague has. Rather than encourage theft, burglary, blackmail, gambling and other such undertakings (which are actually pretty much in line to our background), SUCOs are allowed to trade among themselves. Advantage? The SELLING SUCO need not suffer the 50% price reduction when selling back to MHB, while the BUYING SUCO need not pay 100% for the gear (even though the selling SUCO might have had done something immoral and against all laws of nature to the piece of equipment, which we will not discuss here).
Next, transfer is IMMEDIATE. We don't need to go to a depot world, back to Terra or the Black Market.
Example 02
Jiggy has fallen rather head over heels-ishly in love with a local hooker. He volunteered to take over her incredible amounts of gambling debts, as well as her insatiably need of drugs. He contemplated selling off the last Wasp WSP-3S in his sub-unit, but realized that the time it would take for the transaction and the money to come through would've seen his lover dumping him for another man more able to provide immediate relief to her troubles. Furthermore, he would only get 1,267,560 c-bills from the transaction (2,535,120 c-bills x 50%).
On the other hand, Zorgy and his sub-unit has grown recently with the recruitment of a couple of new mechjocks. Jiggy remembered that Zorgy had mentioned in passing that he would like to buy a light 'Mech for one of his newbie. However, he was not convinced that the millions he'd have to fork out would be worth the trouble, especially if the newbs were untested.
Jiggy and Zorgy met up that night and trashed out a deal. Jiggy would sell his Wasp WSP-3S to Zorgy for 1,774,584 c-bills (70% of listed price). Jiggy would recieve the FULL payment (without those better than thou Cell members having a cut of his sale) IMMEDIATELY, while Zorgy would be saving 760,536 c-bills in the event, and get his machine RIGHT HERE, RIGHT NOW rather than weeks, or even possibly months later.
They all go happy, though the happiest would not doubt be Jiggy's girl...
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IC Rule 03:
Other than cold hard cash, there will be more than enough opportunities for the Black Stars to capture salvage from contracts. SUCOs will be allocated salvage based on their contributions during the contract, as well as items that are suitable to their needs. Such allocation would of course lead to no end of debate (with the inadvertent behind the scene blackmailing, colluding, and other such Black Star-ish activities). Regardless of the means to the end, the said end had so far been of satisfactory acceptance of (most) SUCOs.
OOC Rule 03:
In the event that the unit as a whole hit salvage, each member is entitled to submit a wish list 3 times of his entitled tonnage, but with individual units not exceeding his maximum allowed salvage tonnage. Several members can also combine their earned salvage to ask for individual machines of higher tonnage.
In the event that the ENTIRE unit decides to lump all their earned tonnage for 100 ton monsters of machines, the distribution of proceeds from sales of said machines shall be allocated as per their % contribution.
Final allocation of salvage is completely in the hands of DMM. As such, no one should complain if he/she earned the most salvage, but got nothing in the end. On the other hand, a Black Star that earned the least salvage, but by the draw of luck got allocated EVERYTHING he/she asked for in his/her wish list is entitled to point and laugh at the others. (However, if the said person have any sense of self preservation, he/she should only do so in dark and out of the way corners)
Example 03:
The Black Stars hit salvage in their last contract. Jiggy and Zorgy each put in about 8,300 word counts, while an up and coming newbie, Flacky actually managed to outdo them both by posting a massive 20,000 words. Based on BSTS rules, Jiggy and Zorgy would each be entitled to 25 tons of salvage, while (an annoyingly smug) Flacky would be entitled to 60 tons to himself.
Deciding that there was nothing 25 tons and below worth their efforts, Jiggy and Zorgy decided to pull their resources together so that they can ask for a total of 50 tons of salvage. They thus put up a wish list consisting of a Huntsman (Nobori-nin), Centurion CN9-D5 and Tessen TSN-1C. (Total 150 tons = 50 tons x 3)
Flacky decided however, that he would rather like to go for a small smattering of units rather than go straight up for a 60 ton machine. He thus puts in a wish list consisting of Scarabus SCB-9T, Jenner IIC, Owens OW-1B, Mongoose II MON-266, Phalanx Heavy BA, Void BA Squad (Nova Cat), and a Badger Tracked Transport for a total of 180 tons (60 tons x 3)