Proneutron
SOC-13
Exactly. Which is why when local citizens lop the heads off of some mercs in a local conflict the 3I isn't going to swoop in and "... make an example of any planet that tried to use this excuse". :rofl:
Geneva Convention equivalent
- Thread starter McPerth
- Start date
Exactly. Which is why when local citizens lop the heads off of some mercs in a local conflict the 3I isn't going to swoop in and "... make an example of any planet that tried to use this excuse". :rofl:
Would it be worth it for an underwriting corp to hire their own mercs to make an example of states that fail to honor such bonds?
Enoki
SOC-14 1K
This is where I see mercenaries being used. Governments don't hire them. They can institute a draft if necessary. Mercenaries on the other hand are hired armed security guards on steroids.
So long as the corporation isn't expecting them to go into heavy combat, mercenaries would be a great, and cost effective, way to get an army for a few months of operations. No long term commitment meaning you aren't paying to have them sit around doing nothing. Hire them for a job. Pay them when it's done.
So long as both sides of that contract see value in it, you get the quality you paid for. The better mercenary outfits will have a reputation and history to rely on for how they'll perform in service. You want cheap, you buy an outfit without those things.
mike wightman
SOC-14 10K
That is exactly what the Imperium will do - and they will publicise the fact that have done it.
It will stop others from doing the same thing - the Imperium makes money out of mercenaries...
mike wightman
SOC-14 10K
That is one of the other options, yes.
A megacorporation and the Imperium can not allow their authority to be questioned.
Condottiere
SOC-14 5K
You have to differentiate between the ticket, the paymaster, and perhaps, the paymaster's actual sponsor.
In the Traveller context, very few governments can afford Falkenberg's Legion, which arguably is later on a very well equipped, funded and connected reinforced independent light infantry brigade combat team.
They take high risk missions, but have access to enough intelligence assets to understand the local political and military situation.
My feeling is that in order to raise an equivalent force in the Marches, the paymaster would have to contract out to a Condottiere, who'd collect a disparate group of available mercenary units and try to establish a unified command structure.
Unless there are planetary defence forces that are willing to hire out their troops, and the hiring government would probably have an established command structure to incorporate them in their forces.
The cheap option would be to open up a hiring booth on a recent nearby combat zone, and hire anyone who can follow orders and know which end of a gun they have to point.
In the Traveller context, very few governments can afford Falkenberg's Legion, which arguably is later on a very well equipped, funded and connected reinforced independent light infantry brigade combat team.
They take high risk missions, but have access to enough intelligence assets to understand the local political and military situation.
My feeling is that in order to raise an equivalent force in the Marches, the paymaster would have to contract out to a Condottiere, who'd collect a disparate group of available mercenary units and try to establish a unified command structure.
Unless there are planetary defence forces that are willing to hire out their troops, and the hiring government would probably have an established command structure to incorporate them in their forces.
The cheap option would be to open up a hiring booth on a recent nearby combat zone, and hire anyone who can follow orders and know which end of a gun they have to point.
mike wightman
SOC-14 10K
They are also hired to train the conscripts...
Provided your merc force is a few TLs higher in armour and battlefield electronics than the locals they will be taking on are not much of a threat - hence there are striker tickets etc.
This is a very important point I think.
That claim deserves reconsidering. Many governments hire mercenaries today including the US. There are a host of reasons a government might prefer a "contractor" to a regular military unit.
Today in the real world governments are using mercs as a preferred strategy when:
state actions are illegal or policies are unpopular;
evasion of state responsibility is highly desirable; or
states are weak in their capacity or are less strong than their societies so they can deploy them for the purpose of bolstering their coercive capacity
Any state might use them as a force multiplier or to off-load specialized or non-core functions or assignments.
In the "golden age of the merc" of the OTU, its a good bet that many governments have mercs on the payroll. IMTU that inlcudes the Imperium itself!
At least some of the tickets in CT:LBB4 seem to show this (security and cadre tickets at least)
FFW seem to agree with you, according the countermix
mike wightman
SOC-14 10K
The Imperium 'drafts' mercs when necessary - see FFW which includes a TL16 merc unit.
I would also imagine subsector duke will prefer to hire mercs to solve issues upon occasion - when household troops would be politically frowned upon for example.
I would also imagine subsector duke will prefer to hire mercs to solve issues upon occasion - when household troops would be politically frowned upon for example.
Enoki
SOC-14 1K
But they hire them as security guards not combat troops. The closest thing a major power has to mercenaries are some of the European countries using troops like Gurkhas, or the Foreign Legion. Even then they are part of that nation's military structure, not independent paid troops for use in combat.
You have changed the terms from "governments dont" to "major powers". Thats already a big concession.
But for examples of major powers using mercs, look at recent actions of Russia in Libya or China in Hong Kong.
Its happening today. Its going to happen in the "golden age" too.
Enoki
SOC-14 1K
Major powers are governments of major powers. Nothing changed there.
None use them for heavy combat or in actual wars. They use them as security forces in rear areas and for holding locations already within their control.
Russia's use of mercs in "heavy combat" in "real wars" is well documented. Here is just one example. A little googling and youll find plenty more:
https://russianpmcs.csis.org/
China's control of Hong Kong was in question and they chose to use mercs rather than regulars to put down the demonstrators. These exceptions or special pleadings you are trying to carve out make my point: governments, major powers and otherwise, use mercs.
https://russianpmcs.csis.org/
China's control of Hong Kong was in question and they chose to use mercs rather than regulars to put down the demonstrators. These exceptions or special pleadings you are trying to carve out make my point: governments, major powers and otherwise, use mercs.
mike wightman
SOC-14 10K
The US has made extensive use of mercenaries too, not just the Russians.
Condottiere
SOC-14 5K
It's a question of space and time.
How long does it take for a cadre to train a peasant levy into a fairly competent and obedient military force.
And the compare it to costs involved, and equipment availability.
How long does it take for a cadre to train a peasant levy into a fairly competent and obedient military force.
And the compare it to costs involved, and equipment availability.
Proneutron
SOC-13
Really? What extensive combat use of mercs (a professional soldier hired to serve in an army) has the US made?
mike wightman
SOC-14 10K
I'm afraid that board rules prevent me answering that question - but you are more than capable of researching the US government's use of mercenaries in conflicts, especially proxy wars, since the second world war.
Proneutron
SOC-13
No they don't. Listing the order of battle isn't against the rules. That is like me saying I cannot say the Gulf war happened and French Foreign Legion troops were used in the drive into the North of Iraq. Or that Turkey sent troops to Korea to fight.
So it is safe to assume you know of NO recent (100 years) instance of the US hiring mercs (a professional soldier hired to serve in the army).
Similar threads
